THE  LIGHT  OF 
CHINA 


THE 
TA O  TEH  KIN 


HEYSINGER 


ST 


^J  PRINCETON,  N.  J.  .    <g 


Presented   by  W~e^  S  \  C/\  c^Y^-V  Y"c7\-Y-V  o  n 


Division 


Section 


» 
V 


•AT 


uc 


A  -QWH^A.     . 


THE 

LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


Z_2  o-  u  21 U 


THE   TAO  TEH  KING 

OF  LAO  TSZE  ; 

604-504  B.C. 


AN  ACCURATE  METRICAL  RENDERING,  TRANSLATED 
DIRECTLY  FROM  THE  CHINESE  TEXT,  AND  CRITICALLY 
COMPARED  WITH  THE  STANDARD  TRANSLATIONS,  THE 

ANCIENT  AND   MODERN   CHINESE  COMMENTARIES, 
AND   ALL   ACCESSIBLE   AUTHORITIES 


WITH  PREFACE,  ANALYTICAL  INDEX,  AND  FULL  LIST  OF  IMPORTANT 
WORDS,  AND  THEIR  RADICAL  SIGNIFICATIONS 


BY 

I.  W.  HEYSINGER,  M.A.,  M.D. 

Author  of  "  Solar  Energy, 
Its  Source  and  Mode  Throughout  the  Universe,"  etc.,  etc. 


Research  Publishing  Co. 

PETER  REILLY,  AGENT  PHILADELPHIA 

133  N.   THIRTEENTH  ST.  MDCCCCIII. 


Copyright,  1903,  by 
I.  W.  HEYSINGER 

AH  rights  reserved 


Entered  at  Stationers'  Hall 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


PREFACE. 


Lao  Tsze,  so  named,  the  immortal  author  of  the  Tao  Teh  King,  the  only- 
writing  he  left  to  posterity,  was  born  in  the  year  604  before  the  Christian 
era,  in  the  third  year  of  the  Emperor  Ting-Wang,  of  the  expiring  Chow 
dynasty,  in  what  is  now  the  province  of  Ho-nan,  but  which  was  then  a  part 
of  the  great  State  of  Kau. 

He  disappeared,  at  the  age  of  about  one  hundred  years,  in  voluntary  ex- 
ile into  the  unknown  feudal  and  barbarian  lands  northwest  of  China,  as  de- 
scribed in  the  Epilogue  in  this  translation.  The  wall  and  the  northwest,  or 
barrier-gate,  there  described,  it  is  needless  to  say,  were  not  a  part  of  the  Great 
Wall  of  China,  which  was  not  constructed  until  nearly  four  centuries  later, 
but  were  the  wall  and  gateway  which  protected  the  valleys  leading  from  the 
unknown  regions  beyond. 

Lao  Tsze  was  contemporary  with  Confucius,  but  was  his  senior  by  about 
lifty-four  years.  When  Confucius  was  about  thirty-five  years  old  he  visited  the 
old  philosopher,  who  was  then  nearly  ninety  years  old,  at  his  residence  at  the 
court  of  Kau.  In  an  interview  Lao  severely  condemned  the  system  of  Con- 
fucius, charging  that  it  was  based  on  a  man-made  and  artificial  code  of  ethics 
and  ceremonials,  that  it  ignored  the  fundamental  principles  of  life  and  mind, 
and  tended  to  obscure  the  divinity,  dignity  and  immortality  of  man,  and  the 
spirituality  which  constituted  the  energy  and  purpose  of  the  entire  universe, 
not  only  in  its  origin,  but  in  its  eternal  progress.  Confucius,  in  a  state  of 
wonder,  left  him,  saying  to  his  disciples  that  he  could  understand  the  ways 
of  the  birds,  of  the  fish,  and  of  the  beasts;  how  to  snare  the  running  ones 
with  nooses,  how  to  entrap  the  swimming  ones  with  nets,  and  how  to  take 
the  flying  ones  with  arrows.  But  the  dragon;  he  knew  not  how  this  one  could 
bestride  the  winds  and  clouds,  and  ascend  to  heaven.  "I  have  this  day,"  he 
said,  "seen  the  Old  Philosopher;  might  he  not  be  like  the  dragon?" 

The  Tao  Teh  has  become,  almost  since  its  origin,  one  of  the  Chinese  King 
or  Classics.  It  is  the  basis  of  the  Taoist  religion,  one  of  the  Three  Religions 
of  China,  but,  as  has  occurred  elsewhere,  has  been  so  overlaid  and  misinter- 
preted by  theology,  fancy,  and  later  commentary,  that  the  Taoism  of  to-day 


[    3   ] 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


bears  no  apparent  resemblance  to  the  immaculate  source  from  which  it  was 
derived,  and  only  the  unbiased  student  and  philosopher  can  perceive  how  this 
great  original  has  extended  and  penetrated  and  given  fiber  and  life  to  the  en- 
tire philosophy  and  religion  of  the  Chinese  people.  It  is  essentially  the  philos- 
ophy of  the  common  people,  while  Confucianism  is  that  of  the  literati.  While 
Confucianism  has  framed  society  Taoism  has  filled  it.  Centuries  after  the  dis- 
appearance of  L§,o  Tsze,  and  when  the  T&o  Teh  had  permeated  all  China, 
Buddhism  was  imported  from  India.  In  its  degenerate  form  Taoism  joined 
forces  with  this  newcomer,  which  also  preached  the  doctrine  of  spirituality, 
but  entangled  with  the  eternal  revolution  of  the  wheel  of  fate,  while  Lao  Tsze 
presented  free-will  and  intellect  as  the  self-conscious  and  self-responsible 
agencies  of  life  and  soul ;  so  that  while,  to  an  outsider,  these  two  systems  seem 
to  have  merged  partially  into  one,  in  fact  they  have  flowed  on  as  independent 
streams  along  the  same  great  channel,  each  having  lost  by  their  contiguity. 

The  great  philosophers  of  China  have  always  been  the  Taoists;  it  has  not 
only  tinctured,  but  made  the  philosophy  of  China,  with  its  doctrines  of  original 
goodness,  of  spiritual  contact  and  interpretation,  of  spirit-power  over  matter, 
and  of  an  eternity  of  blessed  usefulness  hereafter;  and,  above  all,  of  the  pro- 
cess by  evolution  from  spirit  into,  and  through,  and  perpetually  with,  matter, 
as  contradistinguished  from  original  creations;  and  also  in  the  recognition  of 
involution  as  a  co-relative  agency  with  evolution,  and  the  harmonizing  spirt 
which  stands  between  the  factors  of  every  change  and  unifies  and  perfects  the 
whole  advancing  process. 

It  is  needless  to  refer  the  reader  to  the  "integrating  principle  of  the  whole, 
—the  Spirit,  as  it  were,  of  the  universe,— instinct  with  contrivance,  which  flows 
with  purpose"  of  the  lamented  Romanes,  pupil  and  co-worker  with  Darwin,  or 
to  "an  order  of  things,  composed  of  objects  independent  of  matter,  and  the 
whole  amount  of  which  constitutes  a  power,  unalterable  in  its  essence,  gov- 
erned in  all  its  acts,  and  constantly  acting  upon  all  parts  of  the  physical  uni- 
verse," of  Lamarck,  but  one  need  not  go  muchi  further  back,  or  he  will  look  in 
vain,  until  be  comes  to  this  old  philosopher  and  seer  across  the  vista  of  two 
and  a  half  milleniums. 

The  Tao  Teh  is  so  concisely  written,  in  scarcely  more  than  5000  charac- 
ters, that  translators  have  been  frequently  at  fault  in  rendering  this  important 
work  into  Western  languages.  Another  difficulty  lay  in  the  unconscious  theo- 
logical bias  of  some  of  the  translators.  Some  might  say.  if  there  is  a  work  of 
this  scope  and  purity  and  revelation  extant  in  China,  and  if  it  has  been  so  for 
thousands  of  years,  and  one  of  the  great  religious  systems  of  that  country  has 
been  founded  on  that,  why  not  look  to  the  Chinese  to  develop  along  these  re- 
ligious lines,  instead  of  through   exotic  and  diverse  teachings?    St.  Paul  said 


[    4    ]- 


PREFACE 


to  the  Athenians  that  he  came  to  make  known  to  them  the  God  whom  they 
had  ignorantly  worshipped.  The  God  of  the  Chinese,  as  we  see  in  the 
Tao  Teh  King,  is  the  great  God,  the  producer,  the  life-giver  and  father  of  all. 

When  this  work  was  written  the  Chinese  language  was  far  less  copious 
than  it  has  since  become,  and  the  characters  employed  were  far  fewer  than  at 
present.  In  the  ancient  classics  there  are,  all  told,  only  4600  different  char- 
acters used;  and  in  the  Shwo-wan  dictionary,  completed  nearly  600  years  af- 
ter Lao  Tsze,  are  contained  only  9353;  while  in  the  great  Imperial  Diction- 
ary of  the  Emperor  Kanghi,  about  A.  D.  1700,  are  found  43,496.  In  Med- 
hurst's  radical  Chinese  and  English  dictionary,  of  1843,  are  found  about  30,000 
separate  characters  or  words. 

At  least  eight  translations  have  been  made  from  the  original  text  of  the 
Tao  Teh  into  Western  languages,  Latin,  French,  German  and  English.  All 
these  were  intended  to  be  faithful  and  accurate  translations,  but  the  difficul- 
ties have  been  such  (not  merely  from  those  inherent  in  the  work  itself,  how- 
ever), that  a  comparison  of  these  various  translations  will  show  important  dis- 
crepancies among  them  throughout  the  entire  work,  so  that  scarcely  a  single 
chapter,  in  any  translation,  will  be  in  entire  accord  with  the  corresponding 
chapter  in  any  other  translation. 

They  all,  however,  embrace  matter  of  extreme  importance,  but  it  is  only 
by  taking  them  together,  when  possible,  word  for  word,  and  phrase  for  phrase, 
and  comparing  them  closely  with  the  original  text,  and  then,  also,  comparing 
the  original  with  the  significations  and  idiomatic  forms  and  expressions  em- 
braced in  the  various  standard  dictionaries,  and  examining  also  the  earlier 
commentaries  by  Chinese  authors  on  the  work,  that  the  true  sense  and  mean- 
ing can  be  evolved. 

This  is  especially  necessary  in  a  work  so  recondite,  and  yet  so  clear  and 
simple,  in  which  ancient  words,  when  clearly  rendered,  bring  so  surprising  an 
accordance  with  the  latest  teachings  of  philosophy  and  science.  Indeed,  the 
danger  of  giving  to  the  characters  used  by  Lao  a  sense  not  known  to  the 
author,  a  philosophical  bias,  in  fact,  is  one  to  be  especially  guarded  against, 
and  which  can  only  be  done  by  tracing  the  words  themselves  to  their  radi- 
cals and  determining  what  sense  properly  belongs  to  the  composite  of  radicals 
included  in  the  character.  This  composite  compared  with  the  dictionary  sig- 
nification will  always  bring  the  exact  shade  of  meaning  intended  when  the  work 
was  written. 

These  have  been  the  methods  pursued  in  the  present  translation,  so  that 
what  at  first  promised  to  be  a  single  winter's  work,  has  extended  over  sev- 
eral years  of  assiduous  labor,  and  involved  a  rewriting,  as  new  evidence  was 
obtainable,  of  all  the  chapters,  not  once  only,  but  many  times. 


[    5    ] 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


It  is  conceded  that  the  Tao  Teh,  even  above  all  other  of  the  Chinese 
classics,  must  tell  its  own  story.  Here  we  have  no  conversations  with  dis- 
ciples; no  survivals  of  a  contemporaneous  school  to  interpret  the  work,  and 
the  Tao  Teh  itself  was  forged  hot  and  instantaneously  from  the  brain  of  its 
great  creator,  and  in  that  same  day  in  which  he  disappeared,  leaving  only  this 
imperishable  monument  behind  him.  As  Samuel  Johnson  says,  in  his  Relig- 
ious of  China,  "Lao  Tsze  stands  alone!" 

The  present  translation,  though  metrical  in  form,  will  fail  in  its  purpose 
if  it  is  not  true  to  the  original  in  text,  concordance  and  sense;  the  object  has 
been  to  present  Lao  Tsze  and  his  work  in  their  actuality  and  fullness.  For 
this  purpose  every  word  of  all  the  eighty-one  chapters  has  been  traced  to  its 
source,  and  whatever  light  the  philology  of  the  Chinese  language,  context  or 
commentary,  has  been  able  to  shed  on  it,  has  been  diligently  sought  out.  The 
earlier  commentators  are  invaluable,  and  the  great  work  of  Kwang  Tsze  (re- 
cently translated  in  full  by  Dr.  Legge),  who  wrote  within  two  centuries  after 
Lao  Tsze,  and  who  quotes  extensively  from  still  earlier  commentators,  is  price- 
less. This  quaint  work  is  not  only  a  mine  of  erudition  and  philosophy,  but  a 
mint  of  amusement  and  entertainment.  It  comprises  the  wit  and  keenness 
of  Rabelais  with  the  purity  and  simplicity  of  Bunyan. 

The  principal  source  of  the  radical  significations  of  the  Chinese  charac- 
ters, for  this  translation,  has  been  found  in  the  elaborate  radical  Chinese  and 
English  Dictionary  of  Medhurst,  published  at  Batavia,  in  1843.  This  embraces 
about  30,000  characters,  all  traced  back  clearly  to  the  radicals  of  which  they 
are  composed.  To  show  how  the  radicals  dominate  the  characters  into  which 
they  enter,  the  following  quotation  from  Medhurst,  p.  1449,  will  suffice:  "To 
travel;  the  character  is  composed  of  stag  and  walking,  because  the  disposition 
of  the  deer  is  hasty,  and  when  it  has  eaten,  it  immediately  decamps."  So  the 
character  for  original  knowledge  is  composed  of  two  radicals  signifying  an 
arrow  in  its  flight  and  an  entrance  or  an  opening,  the  mouth.  All  Chinese 
characters  are  so  composed,  except  the  radicals  themselves,  which  are  only  two 
hundred  and  fourteen  in  number,  and  are  easily  learned.  Each  radical  covers 
a  class,  and  the  dominating  radical  determines  the  class.  For  example,  things 
belonging  to  earth  come  under  one  radical,  those  belonging  to  women  under 
another,  anything  under  shelter  to  a  third,  rising  grounds  to  a  fourth,  things 
relating  to  walking  under  another,  everything  connected  with  flesh  under  an- 
other; things  that  are  bright  belong  to  one  radical,  those  that  are  dark  to 
another,  those  pertaining  to  the  mind  to  this  radical,  and  to  the  soul  or  body 
to  others;  minerals  come  under  one  radical,  gems  under  another,  and  wood 
under  a  third;  vessels  and  utensils  have  their  own  radicals,  and  rice,  grain,  and 
3ilk   their  own   radicals;   so,   also,   plants,   speech,   conveyances,  entrances  and 


[    6    ] 


PREFACE 


exits,  water  in  all  its  forms,  vapors,  rain  and  what  falls  from  heaven,  all  per- 
taining to  cities,  everything  related  to  hearing,  or  to  seeing,  or,  in  fact,  to 
anything  else,  has  its  own  radical.  In  forming  composite  characters  this  dom- 
inating radical  always  takes  its  prescribed  place  in  the  assemblage,  and  de- 
termines the  class.  Some  are  in  their  dominating  place  when  on  top,  others 
at  the  right,  others  at  the  left,  others  at  the  bottom,  and  still  others  surround- 
ing the  other  radicals,  while  a  few  are  placed  more  indefinitely;  so  that,  in 
general,  one  can  know  at  a  glance  to  what  radical  the  character  belongs,  and 
the  various  other  radicals  combined  with  it  each  modify  the  primary  sense, 
sometimes  rather  fancifully,  but  usually  very  obviously,  and  a  character  is  pro- 
duced having  a  multiform  appearance,  and  an  accuracy  and  fertility  of  sense 
not  found  in  the  word  characters  of  any  other  language.  Indeed,  a  single 
character,  which  may  contain  five  separate  radicals,  and  is  pronounced  as  a 
single  syllable,  will  frequently  give  the  whole  sense  of  an  entire  phrase  when 
rendered  into  English. 

Many  persons  declaim  against  the  barbarous  forms  of  the  Chinese  charac- 
ters; but  they  have  merely  learned  the  sense  of  these,  as  though  they  were 
arbitrary,  and  absurdly  complex  and  grotesque  hieroglyphics,  from  a  syllabic 
dictionary;  that  is,  a  mere  alphabetical  dictionary  in  which  such  sounds  as 
"che"  come  near  the  beginning,  "ming"  near  the  middle,  and  "yang"  near  the 
end,  although  these  might  really  be  neighbors.  We  hear  about  the  difficulty 
of  the  Chinese  language,  with  its  characters  with  five  strokes,  and  ten  strokes, 
and  nineteen  strokes,  and  all  that,  as  though  these  strokes  were  mere  arbitrary 
sweeps  of  the  pencil.  Nothing  could  be  more  false;  these  "strokes"  are  the 
number  of  strokes  required  to  make  each  of  the  component  radicals  in  ad- 
dition to  the  basic  radical,  which  is  not  counted,  and  the  composite  radicals 
are  each  kept  distinct,  clear,  and  untampered  with.  Each  character  is  a  piece 
of  jewelry  in  which  the  gold  mounting  is  set  with  pearls  and  opals  and  rubies 
and  diamonds,  until  it  becomes  not  onlv  a  thing  of  beauty,  but  of  infinite 
shades  of  sense  and  meaning.  Nor  is  the  difficulty  of  reading  the  written  char- 
acters, after  learning  the  printed  ones,  more  difficult  than  in  the  case  of  Eng- 
lish. 

There  is  a  great  misapprehension  regarding  the  Chinese  language,  and  it 
would  be  of  great  profit,  and  public  benefit,  were  our  people  to  turn  their  at- 
tention to  this  language,  so  rich  where  ours  are  so  poor,  and  so  deficient  where 
ours  are  so  redundant.  The  world  of  literature  which  it  would  expose  would 
bewilder  the  student,  and  literature  of  high  rank  and  great  value,  humorous, 
witty,  grave,  solid,  ethereal,  biography,  fiction,  poetry,  art,  and  a  thousand 
subjects  of  which  we  only  get  a  taste  from  time  to  time  when  rendered,  in 
bits,  into  our  own  tongue. 

— =  [    7    ]= 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


It  is  true  that  the  spoken  language  is  quite  difficult;  its  differing  dialects, 
its  peculiar  tones,  its  explanatory  additions,  which  the  written  characters  do 
not  require,  and  the  difficulty  in  finding  an  environment  in  which  to  learn  the 
language  by  mere  contact,  make  this  exceedingly  difficult;  but  while  there  are 
many  dialects,  there  is  only  one  written  or  printed  Chinese  language,  which 
never  varies,  however  it  may  sound  when  read  therefrom. 

In  addition  to  the  use  of  Medhurst's  radical  dictionary,  free  use  has  been 
made  of  the  Syllabic  Dictionary  of  S.  Wells  Williams,  the  small  Chinese  dict- 
ionary of  Condit,  which,  by  its  grouped  characters,  often  illustrates  new  mean- 
ings, the  phrase  and  idiomatic  renderings  from  the  Chinese  of  Morrison,  the 
Imperial  Kanghi  Dictionary,  and  the  large  conversational  English-Chinese 
Dictionary  of  Tarn  Tat  Hin,  published  at  Hong  Kong  in  1875.  Free  use,  for 
technical  definitions  and  classes,  has  also  been  made  of  the  large  Chinese 
Chrestoruathy  in  the  Canton  dialect,  supervised  by  Morrison,  Thorn  and  Wil- 
liams, and  published  at  Macao  in  1841;  and  all  other  sources  available  have 
been  made  use  of,  either  for  definition,  or  for  comparison  and  usage,  before 
finally  concluding  this  translation.  Comparison  and  correction  have  also  been 
constantly  made  use  of  among  the  various  published  translations  of  and  com- 
mentaries on  the  Tao  Teh,  both  by  Chinese  and  by  Western  authors. 

This  labor,  which,  unfortunately,  could  not  be  delegated  to  another,  the 
translator  has  felt  to  be  due  to  the  author,  to  the  public  and  to  himself.  The 
T&o  Teh  itself  is  well  worthy  of  it;  it  gains  in  dignity,  precision,  scope,  power 
and  importance,  as  well  as  in  homogeneity  and  sequence,  with  every  increase 
in  accuracy  of  rendering. 

It  will  surprise  many  to  see  how  this  great  work  of  antiquity  approaches, 
coincides  with,  and  overlaps  and  even  extends  beyond  our  most  recent  philoso- 
phy and  higher  science  and  theology.  Nothing  approaching  the  Tao  Teh  can 
be  found  in  all  prior  literature,  in  the  field  to  which  it  especially  appertains. 
Its  precision,  its  analysis,  its  teachings,  and  its  methods,  are  above  praise,  and 
in  purity  it  is  spotless. 

It  may  be  asked,  why  is  it  now  thrown  into  metrical  form?  In  answer, 
it  may  be  said  that  a  large  portion  of  the  original  is  in  pure  Chinese  poetry  of 
that  period,  and  even  much  which  is  not  apparently  so,  is  so  in  reality.  The 
following,  for  example,  which  reproduces  the  Chinese  sounds  of  the  first  por- 
tion of  Chapter  XXXVIII,  is  a  case  in  point;  it  will  be  clearly  seen  that  it 
is  not  only  rythmical,  but  is  rhymed  as  well.  Following  it  is  the  translitera- 
tion, word  for  word,  into  English,  and  this  latter  will  afford  a  means  of  com- 
parison, by  reference  to  the  corresponding  chapter  in  the  body  of  the  work, 
of  the  accuracy  and  faithfulness  of  the  present  rendering.  The  same  care  has 
been  exercised  in  the  rendering  of  every  chapter  of  the  original  text. 


[     8      ]: 


PREFACE 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 


First  Part. 

Shang  teh  pu  teh,  shi-i  yiu  teh, 
Hia  teh  pu  shih,  shi-i  wu  teh, 
Shang  teh  wu  wei,  'rh  wu  i  wei, 
Hia  teh  wei  chi,  'rh  yiu  i  wei. 
Shang  jan  wei  chi,  'rh  wu  i  wei, 
Shang  i  wei  chi,  'rh  yiu  i  wei. 
Shang  li  wei  chi,  'rh  mo  chi  ying, 
Tseh  jang  pi,  'rh  jang  chi. 

High  virtue  not  virtue,  therefore  has  virtue, 
Low  virtue  not  lose  virtue,  therefore  nothing  virtue, 
High  virtue  nothing  acts,  and  nothing  by  acting, 
Low  virtue  acts  it,  and  has  by  acting. 
High  benevolence  acts  it,  but  nothing  by  acting, 
High  righteousness  acts  it,  and  has  by  acting, 
High  propriety  acts  it,  and  none  it  respond, 
Then  stretches  arm,  and  enforces  it. 
Like  nearly  all  the  great  prophetic  writings  of  the  past,  the  work  is  essen- 
tially poetic;  it  is  only  the  spirit  of  the  higher  life,  which  we  call  poetry,  which 
flashes  around  a  word  a  sense  and  meaning  as  certainly  and  suddenly  as  a  flash 
of  lightning  illuminates  the  details  of  a  landscape,  or  storm  at  sea,  which  is 
capable  of  rendering  the  flashes  which  the  soul  of  prophecy  emits,  from  mind 
to  mind.    It  is  the  flying  arrow  which  suddenly  enters  the  living  intellect,  as 
is  so  beautifully  expressed  in  the  compounded  Chinese    radicals    which    go    to 
make  up  the  character  for  knowledge,  the  higher  knowledge  of  the  receptive 
intelligence  of  man.    The  book  tells  its  story  much  more  powerfully,  and  at  the 
same  time  more  emphatically  and   readably  when  so  rendered,  than  in  bald, 

[    9    ] 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


bare,  frequently  chopped  up  and  disjointed,  and  ineffective  prose,  as  it  has  so 
often  been  rendered.  It  is,  throughout,  an  interdependent  work;  the  sequences 
run  from  chapter  to  chapter;  one  answers  to  another,  and  interprets  the  other. 
Every  phase  of  lightness,  almost  gaiety,  depth,  warning,  praise,  far-sight, 
views  of  the  great  cosmical  movements  of  eternity,  government,  war,  politics, 
business,  the  state,  the  individual,  the  great,  the  little,  all  pass  in  a  moving 
panorama  before  the  vision,  as  one  follows  along  the  chapters  of  this  book;  there 
is  no  halt,  no  break  in  interest,  from  first  to  last,  and  the  whole  concludes  with 
a  summary  of  the  teachings  of  the  whole  as  applied  to  the  life,  mind  and  work 
of  the  individual  man. 

Like  the  great  T&o  itself,  it  is  made  to  run  in  harmonious  measures.  There 
is  a  majesty  in  this  work  that  demands  majestic  treatment,  and,  in  proper 
hands,  not  an  iota  of  sense  or  arrangement  need  be  lost  by  giving  it  the  ryth- 
mical form,  much  the  same  as  it  has  sounded  in  the  original,  when  perfectly 
recited,  or  half-chanted  by  Chinese  peasants,  or  priests,  or  philosophers,  on 
mountain  slopes,  amid  temple  groves,  on  the  broad,  treeless  plains,  or  floating 
along  the  miraculous  river  net-work  of  that  strange  land. 

Of  course  the  rules  and  construction  of  Chinese  poetry  could  not  be  fol- 
lowed; the  poetic  values  in  China  depend  on  elements  which  cannot  be  even 
reproduced  in  Western  language. 

It  has  been  said,  in  this  preface,  that  the  Chinese  characters,  with  their 
compound  radicals,  resemble  pieces  of  jewelry  with  the  gems  suitably  mounted; 
and  that  thereby  a  word  becomes  a  phrase  or  sentence,  with  shades  of  mean- 
ing quite  unapproachable  in  our  own  words.  It  is  this  choice  of  a  mounting 
and  its  co-ordinates  set  so  varyingly,  and  yet  so  appositely,  that  gives  to 
Chinese  poetry  its  inimitable  charm,  and  incomparable  variety.  It  is,  to  read 
a  Chinese  poem  of  high  value,  to  have  flashed  on  one  a  series  of  illuminations 
and  contrasts,  of  unexpected  changes,  of  colors  and  lights  quite  startling,  a  sort 
of  pyrotechnics  in  fact,  with  all  the  changes  of  a  distant  fireworks  exhibition, 
and  yet  all  as  a  part  of  a  connected  whole,  in  which  the  reader  is  not  merely 
the  observer,  but  is  made  a  participant. 

In  gaining  this  the  Chinese  have  lost  much  else,  but  they  have  gained  this. 

In  some  cases,  where  possible,  Chinese  meters  and  forms  have  been  used, 
in  the  present  translation,  as  in  Chapters  XLIV,  LXII,  and  elsewhere,  but  in 
general,  while  absolute  fidelity  has  been  made  the  prime  object,  such  change, 
variety  and  adaptation  have  been  made  use  of,  in  poetic  forms,  as  will  best 
render  the  sense  and  feeling,  or  the  subject  and  matter,  of  the  different  chap- 
ters. 

In  the  present  edition  elaborate  notes,  which  have  been  prepared,  as  also 
a  bi-lingual  transliteration  of  the  Chinese  text  and  its  English  equivalents,  have 


[  10] 


PREFACE 


been  omitted,  in  order  to  reduce  the  compass  of  the  work.  The  same  is  true 
of  a  careful  and  somewhat  elaborate  introduction  dealing  historically  and  eth- 
ically with  the  philosophy  of  the  T&o  Teh,  and  comparing  the  work  with  the 
various  other  systems  of  philosophy,  cosmology  and  ethics  known  before  or 
since  that  period;  should  a  subsequent  edition  be  required,  it  is  intended  that 
these  shall  be  incorporated  therewith. 

In  the  hope  and  trust  that  this  present  work  will  be  found  full,  accurate 
and  readable,  and  will  awaken  the  minds  of  its  readers  to  the  transcendent 
value  of  the  great  original,  it  is  submitted  to  the  judgment  of  a  thoughtful 
public. 

THE  AUTHOR. 

1521  Poplar  Street, 

Philadelphia,  Pa.,  1903. 


[  II  I 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


FROM  THE  COMMENTARIES  OF  KWANG   TSZE 
ON  THE  TAO  TEH  KING 

She  had  not  yet  been  born  to  life  ;  forthwith 
There  came  a  seasons  change,  to  form  and  breath  ; 
Another  seasons  change,  to  birth  and  life  ; 
And  now,  another  season's  change,  to  death. 

Why  dread  these  changes?    Life's  a  borrowed  thing, 
And  borrowed,  too,  the  frame  of  dust  we  bring 
For  daylight's  toiling  ;  when  the  cool  flight  comes, 
Why  still  to  these  poor  borrowed  garments  cling  ? 

(On  the  death  of  a  good  wife.) 


[  12  ] 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 

PREFACE. 

KWANG  TSZE  ON  LIFE  AND  DEATH. 

THE  PROLOGUE. 

THE  TAO-TEH  KING. 
PART  ONE. 


THE  TAO. 
Chapter. 

I.    Embodying  The  T&o (Cosmical) 

II.    Nourishing  the  Person (Teaching) 

III.  Resting  the  People (Government) 

IV.  Without  Source (Cosmical) 

V.    Using    Emptiness (Ethical) 

VI.    Completing  Forms (Cosmical) 

VH.    Sheathing  Brightness (Ethical) 

VEIL    Harmony  with   Nature (Ethical) 

IX.    To  Go  About  at  Ease (Ethical) 

X.    Ability  to  Do (Ethical) 

XI.    Use  of  the  Immaterial (Cosmical) 

XII.    Repressing   Desires (Ethical) 

XIII.  Rejecting  Shame (Government;   Ethical 

XIV.  Making  Clear  the  Mystery (Cosmical) 

XV.    Manifesting   Virtue (Philosophical) 

XVI.    Returning  to  the  Root (Cosmical) 

XVII.    Plain  Teachings (Government) 

XVIII.    A  Vulgar  Overgrowth (Ethical) 

XIX.    Returning  to  Purity (Ethical) 

XX.    Differing  from  the  Vulgar (Ethical) 

XXI.    The  Empty  Center (Cosmical) 

— I  13  ]=                                                             • 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


XXII.    Abundance  through  Humility (Ethical) 

XXIII.  Emptiness;   Nothingness (Ethical) 

XXIV.  Hindering   Grace (Ethical) 

XXV.    Imaging  the  Mystery (Cosmical) 

XXVI.    Virtue  of  Gravity (Ethical) 

XXVII.    Employing   Skill (Ethical) 

XXVIII.    Returning  to   Simplicity (Ethical) 

XXIX.    Nothing  through  Acting (Ethical) 

XXX.    Sparing  of  Wars (Military;  Government) 

XXXI.    Ceasing  from  War (Military) 

XXXII.    Intuitive  Virtue (Ethical;  Government) 

XXXIII.  Discriminating  the  Virtues (Ethical) 

XXXIV.  True   Perfection (Cosmical;    Ethical) 

XXXV.    The  Kernel  of  Virtue (Ethical) 

XXXVT.    Hidden   Enlightenment (Philosophical) 

XXXVII.    To  Induce  Good  Government (Cosmical;  Government) 


PART  TWO. 


THE  TEH. 
Chapter. 

XXXVIII.    A  Discourse  on  the  Virtues (Ethical) 

XXXIX.    The  Root  of  Law (Philosophical) 

XL.    The  Concealed  Use (Cosmical) 

XLI.    Sameness  and  Difference (Ethical) 

XLII.    Transformations  of  the  T&o (Cosmical) 

XLIII.    All-pervading  Use (Teaching) 

XLIV.    Established    Cautions (Ethical) 

XLV.    A  Flood  of  Virtues (Business;  Ethical) 

XLVI.    Sparing  of  Desires (Ethical) 

XLVII.    Surveying  the  Far-off (Philosophical) 

XL VIII.    Neglecting   Knowledge (Philosophical) 

XLIX.    True    Virtue (Ethical) 

L.    Your   Life (Philosophical) 

LI.    The  Nourishing  Teh (Cosmical) 


[  14] 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


LIL    Returning  Home  to  the  First  Cause (Cosmical;  Ethical) 

LIII.    Abundant  Evidence (Government) 

LIV.    Cultivating  Broad  Views (Philosophical) 

LV.    The  Mysterious  Talisman (Philosophical) 

LVI.    Profound  Virtue (Philosophical) 

LVII.    Plain    Lessons (Government) 

LVIII.    Accord  with  Changes (Government) 

LLX.    Holding  Fast  to  the  Tao (Government) 

LX.    Occupying  the  Throne (Government) 

LXI.    Virtue  of  Yielding (Government) 

LXIL    Attending  to  the  Tao (Ethical) 

LXIIL    Think  in  the  Beginning (Business;    Ethical) 

LXIV.    Guarding  the  Small (Business) 

LXV.    Pure   Virtue (Government) 

LXVI.    To  Put  Oneself  Behind (Philosophical) 

LXVII.    Three  Precious  Things (Philosophical;  Ethical) 

LXVIII.    Fellowship  with  Heaven (Military;   Ethical) 

LXIX.    Profound   Use (Military) 

LXX.    Difficult  to  Know (Philosophical) 

LXXI.    Knowledge  and  its  Sickness (Philosophical) 

LXXIL    Loving   Oneself (Ethical) 

LXXIII.    Trusting  in  Action (Philosophical) 

LXXIV.    To  Control  Delusion (Government) 

LXXV.    Injury  from  Covetousness (Government) 

LXXVI.    Caution   against   Strength (Philosophical) 

LXXVII.    The  Way  of  Heaven (Ethical) 

LXXVIII.    True   Faith (Philosophical) 

LXXIX.    To  Sustain   Agreements (Ethical) 

LXXX.    Standing   Alone (Government) 

LXXXI.     Making  Clear  the  Substance (Philosophical) 


[  15  ] 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


THE  EPILOGUE. 
ANALYTICAL  INDEX. 
TABLE  OF  SUBJECTS. 


Contentment, 

Desires. 

Existence  and  Non-Existence, 

Evolution  and  Involution, 

Future  Life, 

Government, 

God, 

Greed, 

Heaven  and  Earth, 

Heaven's  Way, 

Knowledge, 

Non-Striving, 


Person  or  Body, 
Righteousness  and  Benevolence, 
Simplicity, 
Sage,  (The), 
Teaching., 
Unity,  (The), 

Unselfishness  and  Humility, 
Virtues, 
War, 

Womanhood,   Wifehood  and 
Motherhood. 


CLASSIFIED  LIST  OF  IMPORTANT  WORDS,  PHRASES,  ETC. 

As  used  in  the  original,  with  their  full  significations,  taken  from  standard 
Chinese  dictionaries,  and  with  reference  to  the  compound  radicals,  (when 
necessary),  the  whole  arranged  in  the  order  of  the  chapters  of  the  Tao  Teh. 


[  16  * 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


The  Prologue 

Ere  bocrates  taught,  or  Flato  Heard  and  wrote, 

While  Buddha  lived  his  own  apocalypse, 
There  rose  in  China  two:  Confucius, 

A  steadfast  sun  which  shone  without  eclipse 
For  nearly  five  and  twenty  centuries, 

Who  spake  for  man,  and  man's  relations  here, 
Who  laid  the  metes  and  bounds  of  China's  life; 

And  one  who  spake  with  voice  less  full  and  clear, 
But  from  the  vast  abyss,  the  infinite, 
And  filled  the  universe  with  life  and  light. 

These  master  minds  divide  the  world  to-day, 

As  when  they  spoke,  long  centuries  ago, 
The  questions  that  they  asked  press  on  us  still, 

The  answers  that  they  gave  are  all  we  know, 
Save  that  perchance,  from  o'er  that  misty  sea, 

A  voice  sometimes  calls  back  to  bid  us  cheer, 
Save  that  the  noblest  life  is  best,  we  know, 

And  that  the  future  life  fulfills  that  here; 
The  world  of  China  learned  that  lesson  old, 
And  so  may  we  sift  out  the  virgin  gold. 


[  i7  ] 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


PART  ONE 

THE  TAO 

I. 
Embodying  the  Tao 

The  way  that  can  be  overtrod  is  not  the  Eternal  Way, 

The  name  that  can  be  named  is  not  the  Everlasting  Name 
Which  Nameless  brought  forth  Heaven  and  Earth,  which  Named, 
if  name  we  may, 

The  Mother  of  all  the  myriad  things  of  time  and  space  became. 
Thereby  we  sound  eternally  the  mystery  divine, 

But  only  without  desire  to  sound,  for  if  desire  abide 
The  portals  of  the  issuing  host  our  baffled  sight  confine, 

And  deep  within  the  eternal  veil  the  mystery  shall  hide. 
These  two,  the  Nameless  and  the  Named,  they  differ  but  in 

name, 
For  in  their  vast  progression  from  the  deep  they  are  the  same, 
The  deep  of  deeps,  from  whose  eternal  gate  all  spirit  came. 


C  18  1 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


II. 
Nourishing  the  Person 

When  beauty  is  known  as  beautiful,  lo!  ugliness  is  there, 

When  good  is  known  as  good,  then  bad  and  good  together  go, 
Being  and  Non-existence,  linked  like  brothers  forward  press, 

And  difficult  and  easy,  both  in  mutual  currents  flow. 
The  long  and  short  are  side  by  side,  each  by  the  other  shown, 

The  high  inclines  to  meet  the  low,  the  low  to  meet  the  high, 
The  after  follows  the  before,  in  mutual  consequence, 

And  tone  and  voice  unite  and  blend  in  mutual  harmony. 
Aiid  so  the  sage,  in  his  affairs,  does  not  on  doing  dwell, 

Proceeds  in  silence  like  the  myriad  things  which  come  to  be, 
Which  growing,  claim  no  ownership,  producing,  no  reward, 

And  claiming  naught,  assuming  naught,  continue  ceaselessly. 


*  19  ] 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


III. 
Resting  the  People 

Rewarding  not  the  talented  from  fierce  contention  frees, 

With  wealth  unprized,  the  people  will  not  take  to  thievish  arts, 
Not  seeing  what  awakes  desire  will  keep  the  mind  at  ease, 

And  so  the  sage's  governing  unloads  the  people's  hearts. 
He  fills  the  stomach,  strengthens  bones,  and  calms  the  daring 
will, 

He  causes  people  not  to  know  desires  they  should  not  hold, 
And  those  who  know  of  such  he  keeps,  from  reckless  daring,  still, 

He  acts  the  nothing  acting,  and  there's  nothing  uncontrolled. 


[  20  ]- 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


IV. 
Without  Source 

The  Tao  appears  as  emptiness,  with  unreplenished  hands, 

And  in  its  vast  profundity  'tis  like  the  sire  of  all, 
It  smoothes  the  angles  in  our  path,  unravels  twisted  strands, 

Softens  the  glaring  light,  and  fills  the  clouds  of  dust  that  fall. 
How  pure  and  still  the  Tao  is !  as  if  it  would  endure 

Forever  and  forever,  oh!  whose  offspring  can  it  be? 
I  do  not  know  whose  son  it  is,  its  birth  is  so  obscure 

It  seems  it  might  have  been  before  God,  in  eternity! 


[  21  ] 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


V. 
Using  Emptiness 

The  ways  which  heaven  and  earth  pursue  are  not  benevolent, 

They  treat  the  myriad  things  as  sacrificial  dogs  of  grass, 
And  so  the  sages,  comprehending  nature's  argument, 

Regard  the  hundred  families,  too,  as  grass-dogs  when  they 
pass. 
Heaven  and  earth  a  bellows  are,  which  emptied  from  its  strain 

Collapses  not,  but  moved  again  produces  more  and  more, 
But  men  who  talk  and  talk  exhaust  themselves,  and  talk  in  vain, 

And  all  unlikely  are  to  keep  the  middle  path  secure. 


[22] 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


VI. 
Completing  Forms 

The  "Spirit  of  the  Valley"  never  dies, 

The  woman  spirit  of  the  great  abyss, 
From  its  everlasting  gate  the  roots  of  heaven  and  earth  arise, 
Who  seeks  to  use  its  power  it  unceasingly  supplies, 

Effortless,  exhaustless,  and  in  peace. 


[  23  ] 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


VII. 

Sheathing  Brightness 

Heaven  is  enduring  and  the  earth  continues  on, 
^  Because  it  is  not  for  themselves  they  live, 
So  the  sage  who  keeps  behind,  the  foremost  place  will  find, 
Who  puts  himself  aside,  for  himself  will  best  provide, 
And  unselfishly  is  able  to  achieve. 


[  24  ]: 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


VIII. 
Harmony  with  Nature 

The  highest  goodness  that  we  know  has  water  for  its  type, 

It  benefits  all  things,  yet  ever  flows 
To  the  spot  which  men  disdain,  the  gutter  and  the  plain, 

And  so  is  near  the  Tao,  its  archetype. 
A  residence  is  excellent  according  to  its  place, 

A  heart  for  eddies  passion  never  knows, 
Generosity  for  kindness,  words  for  faithfulness, 
A  government  for  order,  business  for  its  gain, 

And  movements  for  their  timeliness  and  grace. 

As  the  man  of  excellence  does  not  quarrel  for  his  place, 
There  are  none  to  find  fault  with  him  for  the  places  which  remain. 


C  25  ]■ 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


IX. 

To  Go  About  at  Ease 

Is  it  better  to  hold  fast  to  filling,  and  fill  when  fullness  is  gained? 
You  may  handle  the  point  that  is  sharpened  till  all  the  sharp- 
ness is  gone, 
You  may  fill  your  halls  with  gold  and  gems,  but  thieving  is  not 
restrained, 
And  wealth  and  place,  when  linked  with  pride,  will  only  bring 
ruin  on; 
When  the  work  is  done,  and  reputation  advancing,  then,  I  say, 
Is  the  time  to  withdraw  and  disappear,  and  that  is  Heaven's  Way. 


[  26]: 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


X. 

Ability  to  Do 

One  can  keep  the  camp  whole  of  the  animal  soul,  by  embracing 
the  One  alone, 
Can  bring  tenderness  by  guarding  the  breath,  and  be  as  an 

infant  child, 
One  can  wash  and  be  clean,  and,  knowing  the  deep,  can  be 
spotless  and  undefiled, 
And,  loving  the  people  can  rule  the  land  with  a  rule  that  is 
scarcely  shown. 
Can  one  not  open  and  close  his  heavenly  gates  like  a  bird  on 
her  nest? 
When  his  intellect  broadens  on  every  side  may  its  light  not  re- 
main unknown? 
Quickening,  feeding,  producing,  must  he  still  claim  the  fruit  as 
his  own? 
To  uplift  all,  and  yet  rule  not,  is  virtue  the  deepest  and  best. 


[  27  ] 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


XI. 
Use  of  the  Immaterial 

Thirty  spokes  unite  in  a  nave,  but  the  nothingness  in  the  hub 

Gives  to  the  wheel  its  usefulness,  for  thereupon  it  goes  round; 
The  potter  kneads  the  clay  as  he  works,  with  many  a  twist  and 
rub, 

But  in  the  nothingness  within,  the  vessel's  use  is  found; 
Doors  and  windows  cut  in  the  walls  thereby  a  room  will  make, 

But  in  its  nothingness  is  found  the  room's  utility; 
So  the  profit  of  existences  is  only  for  the  sake 

Of  non-existences,  where  all  the  use  is  found  to  be. 


1  28  ] 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


XII. 
Repressing  Desires 

The  flash  of  commingled  colors  will  blind  the  eyes, 

The  jangle  of  musical  sounds  will  deafen  the  ear, 
By  the  jumbling  of  tastes  change  in  the  mouth  will  arise, 

And  with  all  of  each  five,  sight,  hearing  and  taste  disappear. 
The  maddening  rush  of  the  race,  the  wild  hunting  waste, 

And  treasures  hard  to  obtain,  but  hinder  the  mind; 
So  the  sage  only  acts  for  his  own  inner  self,  and  the  taste 

For  unsatisfied  seeing  and  longing  is  left  behind. 


[  29  ] 


THE  UGHT  OF  CHINA 


XIII. 

Rejecting  Shame 

Like  fear  are  favor  and  disgrace, 
On  others  they  depend  for  place, 
But  honor  and  great  sacrifice 
To  one's  own  body  we  can  trace. 

Like  favor  and  disgrace  is  fear, 
Why  should  they  thus  akin  appear? 
Favor  makes  one  stoop  and  cringe, 
And,  when  obtained,  'tis  held  in  fear 

And  losing  it,  remains  disgrace, 
And  fear  again  presents  its  face, 
And  that  is  why,  with  fear  'tis  said 
Disgrace  and  favor  have  their  place. 

But  honor  and  great  sacrifice, 
Why  do  these  two  appear  in  guise 
Of  body?    Just  because  the  self 
Of  my  own  body  these  comprise. 

They  make  me  have  a  body,  then, 
To  know  my  honor,  feel  my  pain, 
And  when  I  count  it  nothingness 
What  sacrifice  can  I  sustain? 


I  30  ]: 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


When  one,  for  honor's  self  alone, 
Imperial  rule  would  make  his  own, 
He  can  thereby  be  safely  used 
To  rule  the  realm  and  hold  the  throne, 

When  one,  for  love,  himself  will  share, 
And  all  self-sacrifice  will  bear, 
The  rule  of  all  beneath  the  sky 
Can  be  entrusted  to  his  care. 


[  3i  3 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


XIV. 
Making  Clear  the  Mystery 

What  we  cannot  see  by  looking  is  the  evenness  of  things, 

What  we  cannot  hear  by  listening  the  rare, 
What  we  cannot  seize  by  grasping  is  the  subtleness  that  springs 

When  we  try  to  scrutinize  them  and  compare. 
Blended  into  Unity,  above  it  is  not  bright, 

Below  it  is  not  buried  in  obscurity, 
Ceaseless  in  its  action,  nameless  in  its  flight, 

It  returns  again  to  formless  immaturity; 
The  form  of  formlessness,  the  shape  of  the  unseen, 
Abstruse  and  indeterminate  as  shadows  on  a  screen  ! 
We  meet  it  front  to  front  and  we  do  not  see  its  face, 

We  follow  it  and  do  not  see  its  back, 
But  who  holds  its  ancient  way 
Is  the  master  of  to-day, 
And  its  far-away  beginning  in  the  olden  time  can  trace, 

Tis  the  thread  of  Tao  that  lies  along  its  track. 


[32]- 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


XV. 

Manifesting  Virtue 

The  skillful  masters  of  the  olden  time, 

With  penetration  subtle  and  profound, 
Pursued  the  mysteries  of  the  abyss 

To  depths  which  modern  knowledge  cannot  sound; 
And  as  their  labors  were  beyond  our  ken 
I  will  try  to  picture  something  of  these  men. 
Cautious  they  were,  like  one  who  comes  to  ford  a  wintry  stream, 
Irresolute,  like  one  who  enters  some  strange  neighborhood, 
Reserved,  as  one,  a  guest  of  some  quite  unknown  host,  would 

seem, 
Changing,  like  the  melting  ice  before  a  summer's  flood, 
Simple  and  unpretending  as  unseasoned  blocks  of  wood, 
Vacant,  like  a  valley,  and  like  turbid  water  dim. 
But  who  can  make  the  turbid  water  clear? 
Leave  it  to  rest,  the  mud  will  disappear; 
But  who  can  make  the  turbid  water  rest? 
Leave  it  to  move,  and  rest  will  soon  be  here. 
They  who  preserve  the  method  of  the  Tao 

Wish  not  to  fill  themselves  with  their  own  self, 
And,  empty  of  themselves,  when  growing  old, 
Are  never  laid,  old-fashioned,  on  the  shelf. 


[  33  * 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


XVI. 
Returning  to  the  Root 

Bring  to  its  full  effectiveness  the  state  of  vacancy, 

Guard  with  unwearied  watchfulness  the  stillness  of  the  breast, 
All  things  alike  go  through  their  stages  of  activity, 

And  then  return  again  to  their  primordial  state  of  rest. 
Luxuriant  vegetation  blooms  around  on  every  hand, 

But  to  its  root  returns  again,  where'er  it  may  extend, 
As  though  its  growth  had  traveled  forth  at  some  supreme  com- 
mand, 

And,  returning  home  to  stillness,  had  thus  fulfilled  its  end. 
These  returnings  of  command  are  eternal  in  their  course, 

To  know  of  the  eternal  is  called  enlightenment, 
To  know  not  the  eternal  of  confusion  is  the  source, 

And  so  awakens  wickedness,  and  evil  discontent. 
To  know  brings  comprehension  and  a  great  capacity, 

A  breadth  of  comprehension  brings  a  kingliness  of  way, 
The  king-like  grows  to  heaven-like,  like  Tao  it  comes  to  be, 

Everlasting,  though  the  body  perish  and  decay. 


I  34  ] 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


XVII. 
Plain  Teachings 

In  the  highest  antiquity  people  scarce  knew 

That  rulers  existed  among  them; 
In  the  next  age  attachment  and  praise  for  them  grew, 

In  the  next  people  feared  they  might  wrong  them; 
And  then  in  the  next  age  the  people  despised 

The  rulers  whom  fate  set  above  them, 
For  when  faith  by  the  rulers  no  longer  is  prized, 

The  people  no  longer  can  love  them. 
Those  earliest  rulers!  what  caution  they  had 

In  weighing  the  words  they  were  using; 
How  successful  their  deeds!  while  the  people  all  said 

"We  are  what  we  are  by  our  choosing." 


*  35  ] 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


XVIII. 
A  Vulgar  Overgrowth 

When  the  Great  Tao  had  ceased  to  be  observed, 

Benevolence  and  Righteousness  found  place, 
And  when  world-wisdom  linked  with  shrewdness  came, 

Then  Grand  Hypocrisy  exposed  her  face. 
And  now  we  have,  with  families  all  at  strife, 

Filial  piety,  parental  care, 
With  states  and  clans  disordered  and  confused, 

Loyalty,  and  faithfulness  are  there. 


[  36  ] 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


XIX. 
Returning  to  Purity 

If  men  would  lay  aside  their  holiness 

And  wisdom,  they  would  gain  a  hundred-fold, 

And,  if  benevolence  and  righteousness, 
Parental  care  and  filial  love  would  hold; 

If  they  would  drop  their  cleverness  and  gain, 
Robbers  would  cease  to  trouble,  as  of  old. 

Here  are  three  things  where  decorating  fails, 

Let  them  again  embrace  reality, 
Let  them  restore  the  purity  of  old, 

Let  them  return  to  their  simplicity, 
Curb  selfishness,  diminish  their  desires, 

And  in  the  genuine  find  felicity. 


*  37  ] 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


XX. 

Differing  from  the  Vulgar 

Cease  learning  many  things,  we  shall  have  peace; 
Between  the  flattering  "yea"  and  honest  "yes" 
The  difference  is  small,  but  the  effect 
World-wide,  when  good  or  evil  we  reject; 
The  evil  that  men  fear  not,  no  one  fears, 
And  wastefulness  without  restraint  appears. 

The  multitude  of  men  look  satisfied, 

They  feed  at  feasts,  they  mount  on  towers  of  pride, 

And  I  alone  seem  timorous  and  still, 

No  signs  of  promise  act  upon  my  will, 

A  babe  not  yet  matured,  sad  and  forlorn, 

Without  a  home,  to  desolation  born. 

The  multitude  of  men  have  goods  to  spare, 
'Tis  only  I  who  wander  everywhere 
Bereft  of  all,  with  dull  and  stupid  gaze, 
Myself  a  chaos  and  my  mind  a  maze. 

The  multitude  of  common  men  are  bright, 

And  critical  and  keen,  and  full  of  light, 

While  I  alone  confused  appear  to  be, 

Drifting  about  on  some  dark,  lonely  sea; 

The  multitude  on  doing  things  are  bent, 

While  I  alone  appear  incompetent, 

A  rustic  rude,  I  differ  from  all  others, 

But  ohl  the  food  I  prize  and  seek  is  Our  Eternal  Mother's. 

-[  38  ] 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


XXI. 

The  Empty  Center 

The  grandest  aspects  of  producing  force 

Find  Tao  their  energizing  way  and  source ; 

In  Tao  things  move  unseen,  impalpable, 

Yet  in  it  form  and  semblance  brood  and  dwell; 

Impalpable,  invisible,  yet  things 

Float  forth  within  on  transcendental  wings; 

Dark  and  profound,  yet  lo!  within  it  there, 

Are  the  pure  essences  which  aeons  bear; 

It  holds  the  truth,  it  keeps  its  ancient  name, 

And  watches  all  that  from  the  beginning  came; 

From  the  Beginning!     How  know  I  this  is  so? 

By  this,  it  is  the  Tao,  by  this  I  know ! 


[39] 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


XXII. 

Abundance  Through  Humility 

"Who  is  deficient  shall  become  complete, 
He  who  is  bent  and  twisted  shall  be  straight, 
He  who  is  empty  shall  be  filled  again, 
He  who  is  worn-out  shall  new  strength  obtain, 
He  who  has  little  then  shall  be  supplied, 
He  who  has  many  things  shall  be  denied." 

Therefore  the  sage  holds  fast  in  his  embrace 

The  Unity,  and  its  example  shows, 
From  self-display  is  free,  and  therefore  shines, 

From  self-assertion,  so  distinguished  grows, 
From  self-praise  free,  his  merit  is  confessed, 

From  self-exalting,  so  will  standing  gain, 
And  since  he  strives  not,  none  with  him  can  strive; 

Therefore  the  ancient  sayings  are  not  vain, 
They  shall  come  home,  and  all  complete  remain. 


[4o] 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


XXIII. 
Emptiness :  Nothingness 

Be  sparing  of  your  speech,  and  so  be  self-contained, 
A  violent  wind  will  not  outlast  the  morning, 

A  pouring  rain  is  gone  before  the  day  is  done, 
And  who  is  it  that  sends  these  notes  of  warning? 

'Tis  heaven  and  earth;  if  these,  even,  cannot  so  endure, 
Much  less  can  man,  the  way  of  heaven  scorning. 

So  who  pursues  affairs  with  the  Tao,  with  the  Tao 

Identifies  himself  in  all  his  doing, 
And  who  pursues  affairs  with  its  virtue,  with  its  virtue 

Identifies  himself  in  his  pursuing, 
And  who  pursues  affairs  with  its  loss,  with  its  loss 

Identifies  himself,  to  his  undoing. 

Who  identifies  himself  with  the  Tao,  the  Tao's  one, 

Enjoys  the  happiness  of  its  attaining, 
Who  identifies  himself  with  its  virtue,  virtue's  one, 

Has  enjoyment  of  the  virtue  he  is  gaining. 
Who  identifies  himself  with  its  loss,  its  loss's  one, 
Enjoys  the  loss  of  it  he  is  sustaining. 
"Faith  not  sufficient  will,  indeed, 
Faith  not  receive  in  time  of  need." 


[  4i  ] 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


XXIV. 

Hindering  Grace 

A  man  who  stands  on  tiptoe  can't  be  still, 
A  man  with  legs  astride  walks  not  with  skill, 
He  who  is  self-displaying  is  not  bright, 
He  who  is  self-asserting  sheds  no  light, 
He  that  boasts  himself  no  merit  gains, 
He  who  is  self-conceited  there  remains. 

Conditions  such  as  these  with  Tao  compared 
Are  like  left-over  food  too  long  prepared, 
Excrescences  men  loathe,  like  wart  or  spot, 
And  those  who  follow  Tao  dwell  with  them  not. 


[42] 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


XXV. 
Imaging  the  Mystery 

There  was  a  Thing,  all-holding,  all-complete, 
Which  WAS  before  existed  Heaven  and  Earth, 

Changeless!  Formless!  Solitary!  Calm! 
All-pervading!  Unlimited!  the  birth 

Of  all  the  mighty  universe  concealed 

Within  the  Motherhood  not  yet  revealed. 

I  do  not  know  its  name;  the  Way;  the  Course; 

The  Tao,  I  call  it;  if  constrained  to  make 
A  name,  I  call  it  furthermore  The  Great! 

And  Great,  it  passes  onward  and  away, 
'Tis  afar,  and  from  afar  returning  flows, 
The  ebb  of  that  great  tide  which  sourceless  rose. 

Now  then  the  Tao  is  great,  and  Heaven  is  great, 
And  Earth  is  great,  and  greatness  is  of  Kings; 

Within  the  world  the  greatnesses  are  four, 

And  one  is  he  who  rules  o'er  men  and  things; 

Man  takes  his  law  from  Earth;  from  Heaven  this; 

Heaven  from  the  Tao;  the  Tao  from  what  it  is. 


[43  1 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


XXVI. 
Virtue  of  Gravity- 
Weight  is  the  root  of  lightness,  stillness  the  master  of  motion, 

And  the  daily  way  of  the  sage  departs  not  from  his  base, 
Although  he  have  brilliant  prospects,  he   is  unconcerned  and 
quiet, 
Should  the  lord  of  ten  thousand  chariots  be  too  light  for  his 
place? 
Then  he  will  lose  not  supporters  alone, 
But,  being  too  restless,  loses  his  throne. 


[  44  ]= 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


XXVII. 
Employing  Skill 

The  skillful  traveler  leaves  no  trace  behind  him, 
The  skillful  speaker  says  nothing  that  falsely  jars, 

The  skillful  counter  keeps  no  checks  to  remind  him, 
The  skillful  locker  requires  no  bolts  or  bars, 

And  the  skillful  binder  no  cords,  or  knots  or  strings, 

Yet  to  afterwards  open  or  loose  are  impossible  things. 

So  the  sage  in  his  goodness  is  ever  a  saver  of  men, 

No  man  he  rejects  or  loses, 
And  alike  in  his  goodness  a  saver  of  things,  for  then 

He  everything  saves  and  uses, 
And  this  is  the  inner  enlightenment  again, 

Which  comprehends  and  chooses. 

So  the  good  instructs  the  bad,  the  bad  in  turn 
Is  material  for  the  good;  and  not  to  prize 

One's  own  instructor,  not  to  love,  but  spurn 
One's  own  material,  would  confuse  the  wise. 

This  mutual  help  and  love  make  all  men  kin, 

And  mark  the  spirit-life  divine,  within. 


[45  ] 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


XXVIII. 
Returning  to  Simplicity 

He  who  knows  the  masculine,  and  yet  retains  the  feminine, 

Will  be  the  whole  world's  channel,  being  so, 
Eternal  virtue  will  with  him  remain  forevermore, 

And  infant  innocency  to  him  go. 

He  who  knows  the  spotless  white,  yet  keeps  the  darkness  of  the 
night, 

Will  be  the  whole  world's  model,  and  the  sage 
Will  hold  eternal  virtue  in  his  hands  forevermore, 

And  go  home  again  to  greet  the  golden  age. 

He  who  knows  how  glory  shines,  yet  degradation  ne'er  declines, 

Will  be  the  whole  world's  valley,  him  alone 
Will  the  spirit  of  eternal  virtue  fill  forevermore, 

And  simplicity  will  claim  him  as  her  own. 

This  unwrought  simplicity,  when  scattered  comes  to  be 

The  universal  vessels,  and  the  sage 
May  use  them  as  the  rulers  of  the  reakn  forevermore, 

And  every  hurt  and  injury  assuage. 


:[  46  ]: 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


XXIX. 

Nothing"  Through  Acting 

If  one  start  out  to  take  the  world  in  hand, 
And  make  it,  he  will  never  gain  his  end, 
For  spirit-vessels  are  not  made  like  pails, 
And  he  who  makes  mars,  who  grasps  fails. 
For,  in  the  course  of  things,  if  some  one  press 
Ahead,  some  other  lags  behind,  and  will, 
While  one  has  warmth,  another  one  is  chill, 
While  one  is  strong,  another  weakly  shrinks, 
One  keeps  himself  afloat,  another  sinks. 
Therefore  the  sage  abandons  all  excess, 
And  all  extravagance  and  selfishness. 


C  47  ]" 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


XXX. 

Sparing  of  Wars 

He  who  in  harmony  with  the  Tao  would  aid  a  ruler  of  men 
Will  not  with  warlike  armaments  strengthen  the  realm  again, 
But  his  manner  of  work,  if  requital  came,  would  bring  good  pay- 
ment then. 
Wherever  a  martial  host  is  camped,  there  thorns  and  briars  grow, 
And  the  track  of  mighty  armies  years  of  ruined  harvests  show; 
The  good  commander  is  resolute  to  strike  the  decisive  blow, 
Then  stops,  for  he  does  not  dare  complete  and  take  by  mastery; 
Vain  and  boastful  and  arrogant  the  leader  must  not  be, 
But  resolute,  not  violent,  and  from  necessity. 
When  things  have  reached  their  highest  pitch  they  became  de- 
crepit and  old, 
But  this  is  not  in  accord  with  the  Tao  which  Heaven  and  Earth 

enfold, 
And  what  is  not  in  accord,  will  pass  away  like  a  tale  that  is  told. 


[  48  ]; 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


XXXI. 
Ceasing  from  War 

Warlike  arms,  however  fine,  are  not  the  tools  of  joy, 

But  of  hateful  omen  to  humanity, 
Which  those  who  have  the  Tao  will  not  employ  with  willingness 

Nor  linger  where  they  ever  chance  to  be. 

Superior  men,  at  home,  deem  the  honorable  place 

To  be  the  left  hand,  but  in  time  of  strife 
The  men  who  go  to  war  esteem  the  right  to  be  the  best, 

For  with  it  they  handle  sword,  and  spear,  and  knife. 

They  are  tools  of  evil  omen,  not  for  the  superior  man, 
Who  will  only  keep  and  use  them  when  he  must, 

For  peace  and  quietude  are  what  he  prizes  most, 
And  victory  is  only  good  when  just. 

To  delight  in  victory  is  to  delight  in  scenes  of  blood, 

Where  myriads  to  sudden  death  are  hurled, 
And  the  man  who  thus  enjoys  is  never  fit  for  power  or  place, 

And  will  fail  to  hold  possession  in  the  world. 

In  prosperous  affairs  the  left  is  honored  most, 

But  in  matters  of  adversity  the  right, 
So  the  second  in  command  of  the  army  takes  the  left, 

And  the  opposite  the  one  of  greater  might. 

So  the  order  is,  I  say,  just  as  at  a  funeral, 

And  justly  so,  for  who  has  thousands  slain, 
Should  weep  for  those  who  fell  with  the  bitterness  of  grief, 

Ai  he  passes  with  his  melancholy  train. 


[    49   l 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


XXXII. 
Intuitive  Virtue 

The  eternal  Tao  is  nameless;  though  it  be 

Too  insignificant  a  name  to  have, 
In  its  primordial  simplicity 

The  whole  world  dare  not  make  of  it  a  slave. 

If  prince  or  king  could  keep  it,  everything 
Would  homage  pay  to  him  spontaneously, 

And  Heaven  and  Earth,  combined,  sweet  dews  would  bring, 
And  people  know  no  rule  but  harmony. 

But  when  it  takes  control,  it  has  a  name, 

And,  knowing  when  to  stop,  men  rest  at  ease, 

For  to  the  Tao  the  whole  world  is  the  same 
As  river  streams  compared  with  mighty  seas. 


t  50  1 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


XXXIII. 
Discriminating  the  Virtues 

He  who  knows  others  is  wise, 
But  he  who  knows  himself  is  wiser  still; 

He  who  conquers  others  is  strong, 
But  to  conquer  self  needs  greater  strength  and  skill; 

He  who  is  satisfied  is  rich, 
He  who  is  firm  in  action  has  a  will; 

He  who  loses  not  his  place  lives  long, 
But  the  man  who  dies  and  does  not  perish,  he  lives  longer  still! 


[  5i  ] 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


XXXIV. 
True  Perfection 

Great  Tao  is  all-pervading, 
At  once  on  left  and  right 

It  may  be  found,  and  all  things  wait 
On  it  for  life  and  light. 

No  one  is  refused  the  gift, 
And  when  the  work  is  done 

It  does  not  take  the  name  of  it, 
Nor  claim  the  merit  won. 

All  things  it  loves  and  nurses, 
But  does  not  strive  to  own, 

Has  no  desires,  and  can  be  named 
With  the  tiniest  ever  known. 

All  things  return  home  to  it, 
But  it  does  not  strive  to  own, 

And  can  be  named  with  the  mightiest, 
For  it  is  the  Tao  alone. 

And  thus  the  sage  is  able 

To  accomplish  his  great  deeds, 

To  the  end  he  claims  no  greatness, 
And  his  great  work  thus  succeeds. 


[  52  ] 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


XXXV. 

The  Kernel  of  Virtue 

Lay  hold  of  the  Great  Form  of  Tao! 
And  the  world  will  follow  your  train, 
It  will  follow  along,  and  suffer  no  wrong, 
And  in  peace  and  content  remain. 

For  music  and  dainties  offered  at  your  gate 
The  passing  guest  will  tarry  awhile  and  wait. 

Though  Tao  in  passing  is  tasteless, 
With  nothing  to  fill  the  eye, 
And  with  nothing  to  hear  worth  filling  the  ear, 
You  can  use  it  exhaustlessly. 


C  53] 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


XXXVI. 

Hidden  Enlightenment 

What  is  about  to  contract  itself  is  sure  to  lengthen  itself, 
What  is  about  to  weaken  itself  is  sure  to  strengthen  itself, 
What  is  about  to  ruin  itself  assuredly  first  uplifts, 
And  what  is  about  to  despoil  itself  it  first  endows  with  gifts. 

To  hidden  enlightenment  it  is  that  truths  like  these  belong, 
The  tender  and  weak  o'ercome  and  conquer  the  rigid  and  the 

strong, 
As  fishes  perish  miserably,  escaping  from  the  deep, 
The  sharp  tools  of  the  State,  from  sight  of  the  people  keep! 


[  54  ]■ 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


XXXVII. 

To  Induce  Good  Government 

The  Tio  eternally  non-acts,  and  so 
It  does  nothing  and  yet  there  is  nothing  left  to  do; 
If  prince  or  king  could  keep  it,  all  would  change 
Of  their  own  accord  with  a  transformation  strange. 

And  so  transformed,  should  desire  to  change  again  still  come  to 

be, 
I  would  quiet  such  desire  by  the  Nameless  One's  simplicity, 
But  the  Nameless  One's  simplicity  is  free  from  all  desire, 
So  tranquilly,  of  their  own  accord,  all  things  would  still  transpire. 


END  OF  PART    ONE. 


r  55 1 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 

PART  TWO 

THE  TEH 

THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


XXXVIII. 
A  Discourse  on  the  Virtues 

The  highest  virtue  is  un-virtue,  therefore  it  has  virtue, 

Inferior  virtue  virtue  loses  not,  and  so  has  none, 
The  highest  virtue  is  non-action,  and  thereby  does  nothing, 

Inferior  virtue  acts  it,  and  exists  by  acting  done. 
The  highest  benevolence  acts  it,  but  thereby  does  nothing, 

The  highest  righteousness   acts  it,  and  acting  has  thereby, 
The  highest  propriety  acts  it,  and  then,  when  none  respond, 

It  stretches  forth  its  arm,  and  enforces  its  reply. 

So,  when  the  Tao  is  lost  to  sight,  its  attributes  are  shown, 
When  these  are  lost  to  sight,  we  find  Benevolence  appear, 

When  Benevolence  is  lost  to  sight,  then  Righteousness  comes  on, 
And  when  Self-righteousness  is  lost,  Propriety  is  here. 

Now,  these  propriety-things  are  shams  of  loyalty  and  faith, 
Forerunners  of  disorder,  which  soon  will  come  to  be, 

Quick-wittedness  is  but  the  flimsy  flower  of  the  Tao, 
And  is  the  first  beginning  of  man's  incapacity. 

With  the  solid  dwells  the  solid  man,  not  with  the  empty  shell, 
With  the  mature  fruit  he  abides,  but  with  the  flower  not  he, 
The  latter  he  avoids,  that  the  former  his  may  be. 


[  57  1 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


XXXIX. 

The  Root  of  I,aw 

Of  old  these  ones  attained  to  unity: 
Heaven  attained  it,  thereby  it  is  pure, 
Earth  attained  it,  thereby  it  is  steady, 
Spirits  attained  it,  thereby  they  have  soul, 
Valleys  attained  it,  thereby  they  are  filled, 
The  myriad  things  attained  it,  thereby  live, 
Princes  and  kings,  and  thereby  they  became 
The  standard  of  the  world,  by  upright  rule, 
And  what  produced  all  this  is  Unity. 

Heaven,  but  for  some  source  of  pureness  nothing  could  maintain, 
But  for  some  source  of  steadiness  Earth  would  be  rent  in  twain, 
Spirits,  but  for  some  source  of  spirit  power,  soon  would  fail, 
And  if  the  vales  had  not  some  source,  then  drouth  would  soon 

prevail. 
Without  some  source  of  life  all  living  creatures  soon  would  die, 
Princes  and  kings,  by  self-esteem  alone,  would  helpless  lie, 
— And  here  one  sees  that  noble  things  are  rooted  in  the  base, 
That  loftiness,  but  for  the  lowly,  soon  would  lose  its  place; 
So  prince  and  king  describe  themselves  as  orphans,  lonely  men, 
As  carriages  which  have  no  wheels  on  which  to  run  again, 
— Is  not  this  an  acknowledgment  that  they  are  rooted  in 
The  fabric  of  inferior  things,  and  with  the  lowly  kin? 
Enumerate  the  different  parts  which  go  to  make  a  cart, 
Take  it  to  pieces,  and  not  one  will  play  a  useful  part, 
Hence  men  do  not  desire,  like  gems,  to  dwell  in  single  state, 
Nor  be  let  drop,  like  pebble-stones,  in  masses  congregate. 

--= [  58  ]=— = 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


XL. 

The  Concealed  Use 

The  movement  of  the  Tao  is  a  returning, 
And  weakness  marks  its  course,  to  our  discerning, 
But  heaven  and  earth  and  everything  from  its  existence  came, 
And  existence,  from  the  non-existent  spurning. 


[  59  ]- 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


XLI. 

Sameness  and  Difference 

Scholars  of  the  highest  type,  who  hear  about  the  Tao, 

Practise  it  with  diligence  unceasing; 
Scholars  of  the  middle  sort,  when  they  have  heard  of  it, 

May  keep  it,  or  may  find  its  hold  releasing; 
But  scholars  of  the  lowest  class,  who  hear  about  the  Tao, 

Laugh  with  laughter  constantly  increasing; 
Were  they  not  to  laugh  at  it, — the  lowest  class  of  men — 
Its  fitness  as  the  Tao  would  soon  be  ceasing. 
And  so  the  sentence-makers  have  spoken  of  it  so, 
"The  Tao  when  at  its  brightest,  only  darkness  seems  to  show, 
The  most  advanced  who  follow  it,  appear  to  backward  go. 
The  even  path  they  travel  is  a  rugged  sort  of  trail, 
The  highest  virtue  that  they  find  is  like  a  sunken  vale, 
The  purity  they  boast  about,  disgraceful  is  and  stale. 
The  broadest  virtue  is  a  thing  they  somehow  seem  to  lose, 
The  firmest  virtue  that  they  hold  is  like  a  poor  refuse, 
And  changeable  and  fickle  is  the  rectitude  they  use. 
Their  greatest  square  is  grown  so  great  no  corners  can  it  show, 
Their  vessels  are  so  huge  they  never  have  the  time  to  grow, 
Their  voices  are  so  very  loud  they  cannot  make  a  sound, 
And  the  forms  that  they  produce  so  vast  that  shape  is  never 
found." 

Tis  true  the  Tao  is  hidden;  that  it  is  nameless  here; 

But  for  giving  and  imparting,  and  for  making  all  things  clear, 

And  for  making  them  complete,  it  is  the  Tao  without  a  peer. 

--[  60  ] - 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


XEII. 
Transformations  of  the  Tao 

The  Tao  produced  One;  One  produced  Two; 

Two  produced  Three;  Three  produced  All. 

All  the  myriad  things  bear  the  yin  with  darkened  pall, 
They  embrace  the  yang  which  lights  the  coming  view, 

And  between  the  yin  that  was,  and  the  yang  that  is  to  be, 

The  immaterial  breath  makes  harmony. 

Things  that  men  dislike  are  to  be  orphans,  lonely  men, 
Unworthy,  incomplete,  and  yet  these  very  things 
Are  taken  for  their  titles  by  princes  and  by  kings; 

So  it  is  sometimes  that  losing  gains  again, 
And  sometimes  that  gaining  loses  in  its  turn. 
I  am  teaching  what,  by  others  taught,  I  learn; 

The  violent  and  aggressive  a  good  death  do  not  die, 

And  the  father  of  this  teaching — it  is  I. 


[61  ]- 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


XLIH. 
All-pervading  Use 

The  softest  thing,  (like  water),  in  the  world,  will  gallop  o'er, 

And  overcome  the  hardest,  as  we  know, 
And  what  has  non-existence  will  enter  everywhere 

Though  there  be  no  crevices  through  which  to  go. 
By  this  I  know  the  benefit  of  non-assertiveness, 

The  profit  when  from  acting  we  refrain, 
Silent  teaching!  passive  doing!  alas,  there  are  but  few 

Under  heaven  this  advantage  to  obtain! 


<   62   ]: 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


XUV. 
Established  Cautions 

Which  is  nearer  you, 
Your  name  or  yourself? 

Which  is  more  to  you, 

Your  person  or  your  pelf? 

And  is  your  loss  or  gain 
The  more  malicious  elf? 

Extreme  love's  price 

Must  be  paid  with  sacrifice. 

Hoarding  to  excess 

Brings  ruin  its  its  place, 

Who  knows  he  has  enough 
Never  knows  disgrace, 

Who  knows  when  to  stop 
Danger  will  efface, 

And  long  can  endure, 

Evermore  secure. 


[  63  ]■ 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


XI,  V. 
A  Flood  of  Virtues 

Who  can  behold  his  great  work  incomplete 
Will  keep  his  usefulness  without  decay, 

He  who  regards  his  fullness  as  a  void 
In  usefulness  can  exercise  each  day. 

His  greatest  straightness  seems  like  crookedness, 
His  greatest  skill  seems  like  stupidity, 

His  greatest  eloquence  of  voice  and  tongue 
The  stammering  seems  of  imbecility. 

By  constant  motion  cold  is  overcome, 

But  heat  by  being  still  is  conquered  best, 

In  purity  and  clearness  is  the  type 
Of  all  beneath  the  sky  made  manifest. 


[64] 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


XLVI. 

Sparing  of  Desires 

With  the  world  in  step  with  Tao  horses  work  upon  the  farms, 
When  the  Tao  is  disregarded  they  respond  to  war's  alarms, 

And  are  bred  in  border  waste  and  wilderness; 
There  is  no  greater  sin  than  to  sanction  fell  desire, 
Than  a  discontented  life  no  calamity  more  dire, 

None  greater  than  the  grasping  to  possess; 
And  he  who  knows  contentment  has  the  all-sufficient  cure, 
And  satisfied,  will  evermore  endure. 


[  65  ] 

D4 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


XLVII. 
Surveying  the  Far-off 

Without  going  beyond  his  doorway 
One  may  know  all  beneath  the  sky, 

Without  peeping  out  from  his  window 
See  the  Tao  of  Heaven  go  by; 

And  the  farther  he  goes  from  home  he  finds 
That  knowledge  becomes  less  nigh. 

So  the  sages  did  not  travel 

To  acquire  a  knowledge  of  things, 

They  named  them  aright  without  wasting 
Their  life  in  vain  journeyings; 

And,  striving  not,  accomplished  ends 
By  the  power  which  quietude  brings. 


:[   66   ] 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


XLVIII. 

Neglecting  Knowledge 

Striving  for  learning  one  gains  a  daily  addition^ 

Using  the  T&o  there  follows  a  daily  remission, 

And  as  the  work  lessens  and  lessens  there  comes  a  condition 

Of  nothing  doing,  when  nothing  is  left  to  do. 
He  who  would  take  as  his  own  all  the  realm  under  heaven, 
Accomplishes  it  when  no  trouble  is  taken  or  given, 
If  trouble  he  use,  by  trouble  itself  he  is  driven, 

And  unfitted  thereby  to  take  what  he  seeks  to  pursue. 


=[  67  ] 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


XLIX. 

True  Virtue 

The  sage's  heart  is  not  unchangeable, 

He  makes  his  own  the  people's  heart  and  will, 

To  those  who  are  good  I,  too,  will  be  good, 
To  those  who  are  not-good  I  will  be  good  still, 

Virtue  is  ever  good; 
Those  who  are  faithful  I  will  meet  with  faith, 
The  unfaithful  also  shall  have  my  good  will, 

Virtue  is  our  faithhood. 
The  sage  dwells  in  the  world,  with  thoughtfulness, 

But  his  heart  flows  in  sympathy  with  all, 
The  people  turn  their  eyes  and  ears  to  him, 

And  are  to  him  his  children,  great  or  small. 


:[  68  ]. 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


L. 

Your  I/ife 

The  going  forth  is  life:  the  coming  home  is  death: 
The  followers  of  life,  in  every  ten, 

Are  three!  4    >   ff;  | 

In  every  ten,  death's  followers,  again, 

Are  three! 
In  every  ten  the  people  who  from  life 
Are  moving  to  the  place  where  death  is  rife, 

Are  three!  .     l  .,    -5    ■. 

What  reason  can  there  be? 
They  live  their  lives  in  life's  intensity. 

But  there  is  one,  as  I  have  heard  it  said, 

So  good  in  managing  his  living  trust,  ,.•  ,  * 

That  he  may  travel  far  and  never  dread 

Rhinoceros  or  tiger  fang  or  thrust, 
Or  warlike  host  with  garb  and  weapons  red; 
There  is  no  spot  in  which  to  thrust  the  horn,  f  > 

No  place  the  tiger  finds  to  fix  his  claws, 
The  soldier's  weapon  from  its  aim  doth  turn, 

Now,  why  is  this?     Because 

In  him  death  finds  no  place  of  mortal  flaws. 


E  69  ] 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


U. 

The  Nourishing  Teh 

All  living  things  are  from  the  Tao, 

And  nourished  by  the  Teh's  advance, 
Take  shape  as  things  in  each  combine, 
And  grow  by  force  and  circumstance; 
Hence  all  things  honor  Tao  that  grow, 
And  all  exalt  its  vast  outflow. 

This  exaltation  of  the  Tao, 

This  honor  where  it  operates, 
Is  not  obedience  to  command 

From  that  which  fashions  or  creates, 
But  comes  from  all,  whate'er  they  be, 
A  tribute  cast  spontaneously. 

The  Tao  produces  everything, 

The  Teh,  it  nurses,  raises,  feeds, 
Completes,  matures,  prolongs,  and  spreads 
O'er  all  protection  for  their  needs; 

Hence  all  things  honor  Tao  that  grow, 
And  all  exalt  its  vast  outflow. 

Producing  life  for  all,  it  holds 

No  ownership;  it  makes  all  things, 
But  needs  them  not;  it  carries  through 
Their  birth  and  growth;  to  life  it  brings 
Long  lasting,  yet  takes  no  control, 
This  mystic  virtue  of  the  whole. 


I  7o  ] 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


LH. 
Returning  Home  to  the  First  Cause 

When  all  under  heaven  had  beginning,  thereby 

The  Mother  of  the  World  came  to  be, 
When  one  knows  the  mother,  he  will  next  know  the  child. 
Who  keeps  to  the  mother,  and  remains  unbeguiled, 

Though  his  body  die,  from  danger  will  be  free. 

Who  keeps  close  his  mouth  and  the  gates  of  the  sense, 
When  his  body  ends,  from  trouble  will  be  free, 

Who  keeps  his  mouth  open,  and  meddles  with  affairs, 
When  his  body  ends,  has  no  immunity. 

To  see  what  is  small,  this  is  called  enlightenment, 

To  keep  what  is  tender,  this  is  strength, 
Make  use  of  the  Light,  returning  home  to  its  source, 
You  will  lose  not  your  body  in  calamity's  course, 

And  will  train  with  the  Eternal  at  length. 


[  7i  1 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


LUI. 
Abundant  Evidence 

If,  in  some  unexpected  manner,  I 

As  one  endowed  with  knowledge  should  appear, 
To  walk  according  to  the  mighty  Tao, 

Tis  only  bold  display  that  I  should  fear; 
For  plain  and  simple  ways  Great  Tao  suggest, 
But  people  love  cross-paths  and  by-ways  best. 

The  halls  and  courts  are  splendid,  but  the  fields 

Uncultivated  are,  the  granaries 
Empty;  to  put  on  ornamented  robes, 

And  keen-edged  swords,  to  gorge  with  gluttonies, 
To  pile  up  wealth;  this,  robbers'  pride  I  call, 
But,  of  a  surety,  not  Great  Tao  at  all. 


[  72  ] 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


LIV. 
Cultivating  Broad  Views 

The  good  planter  never  uproots, 

The  good  keeper  holds  to  his  prize, 
And  sons  and  grandsons  shall  bring  their  fruits 

In  a  ceaseless  sacrifice. 

Who  practises  Tao  in  his  life, 

His  virtues  will  ever  be  sound, 
Who  practises  it  with  his  children  and  wife, 

His  virtues  will  greatly  abound. 

Who  practises  it  in  his  town, 

His  virtues  will  last  and  extend, 
And  if  in  the  state  or  the  realm,  then  down 

His  virtues  will  flow  without  end. 

Test  others  by  oneself  alone, 

Test  families  by  one  family, 
And  in  one  town,  and  state,  and  realm  will  be  shown 

The  test  of  what  others  will  be. 

How  know  I  that  this  single  source 
Throughout  the  whole  world  will  act  so? 

By  this,  that  it  is,  in  its  ceaseless  course, 
Forever  the  self-same  flow. 


[  73] 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


LV. 
The  Mysterious  Talisman 

Who  has  abundantly  the  attributes 

(Of  T&o)  an  infant  child  is  like, 
Poisonous  insects  will  not  sting,  wild  beasts 

Not  seize,  and  birds  of  prey  not  strike. 

Hit  bones  are  tender  and  the  sinews  weak, 

Yet  firmly  grasp,  the  sexual 
Unconscious  sleeps,  and  yet  it  still  is  there, 

A  perfect  spirit  physical, 
With  throat  unharmed  he  cries  the  whole  day  long, 

Each  perfect  part  is  linked  with  all. 

To  know  this  harmony  is  called  eternal; 
To  know  the  eternal,  this  is  called 
Brightness  supernal. 

Increase  of  life  is  blessedness,  they  say, 

They  call  the  heart-directed  spirit  strength, 

But  these  things  reach  their  fullest  growth,  at  length, 

And  plunge  to  swift  decay; 
We  call  all  this  contrary  to  the  Tao, 
Whatever  is  contrary  to  the  Tao 

Soon  will  pass  away. 


■[  74  ]: 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


LVI. 

Profound  Virtue 

They  who  know  speak  not, 
And  they  who  speak  know  not; 
To  close  the  mouth  and  shut  the  gates, 
To  blunt  the  point  which  lacerates, 
To  simplify  what  complicates; 
To  temper  brightness  in  its  glare, 
The  shadows  of  the  dust  to  share, 
The  Deep's  identity  declare. 

A  man  like  that  cannot  be  got 

And  loved,  and  then  discarded  be, 
Cannot  be  got  by  profit's  bribe, 

Cannot  be  got  for  injury, 
Cannot  be  got  by  honor's  gift, 

Nor  got  for  cheap  humility, 
And  so  becomes,  throughout  the  world, 

The  type  of  high  nobility. 


[75]- 


THE  UGHT  OF  CHINA 


LVII. 
Plain  Wessons 

Let  the  upright  rule  the  state, 

And  the  craftful  the  army  lead, 
But  the  realm  can  only  be  made  one's  own  -     j 

When  from  active  scheming  freed.  *  * 

How  do  I  know  this  is  so? 

By  facts  that  are  open  to  all,  '  S 

As  you  multiply  prohibitive  laws  "  f  fl 

The  people  to  poverty  fall.  f 

You  increase  disorder  as  well, 

When  you  increase  the  weapons  of  war, 
And  the  more  and  more  artful  and  cunning  men  grow, 
The  more  and  more  crafty  contrivance  they  show, 

And  the  more  laws  and  more  thieves  there  are.  V 

Said  the  sage,  I  do  nothing,  and  men 

Of  themselves  transformed  will  be,  *  ^ 

I  love  to  keep  still,  they  have  uprightness, 
I  do  no  scheming,  and  wealth  they  possess,  { 

I  have  no  ambition,  and  plain-mindedness  %      S, 

Will  come  spontaneously. 


n;\ 


-[  76  ]: 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


LVIII. 

Accord  with  Changes 

With  a  government  of  liberality 

The  people  all  enjoy  prosperity, 

When  government  has  keen  and  prying  eyes, 

Then  poverty  and  misery  arise. 

For  happiness,  alas!  but  only  hides 
The  place  behind  where  misery  abides, 
And  misery  ever  leans  on  happiness; 
Who  knows  its  end?  or  is  it  limitless? 

When  uprightness  in  turn  appears  as  strange, 
Then  goodness,  too,  to  strangeness  soon  will  change, 
Confusion  of  mankind!    its  day  of  wrong! 
Assuredly  it  has  continued  long. 

Therefore,  the  sage  is  square,  but  injures  none, 
Is  angular,  but  hurt  has  never  done, 
Is  strict,  yet  no  restriction  undertakes, 
And  dazzles  not  while  he  illuminates. 


C  77   ]: 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


LIX. 

Holding  Fast  to  the  Tao 

In  governing  men  or  dealing  with  Heaven  there  is  nothing  like 

moderation, 
And  moderation  is  what  is  called  an  early  habituation, 
Which,  when  acquired,  heaps  virtues  up  in  vast  accumulation. 

And  then,  with  virtues  thus  heaped  up  in  vast  accumulation, 
To  the  overcoming  of  everything  there  is  no  limitation, 
And  when  one  knows  no  limits,  he  may  even  have  the  nation. 

Possessing  the  Mother  of  the  State,  he  is  thereby  long-enduring, 
As  we  say  of  a  tree,  its  roots  are  deep,  and  its  staunch  stem  reas- 
suring, 
In  ckarest  sight  to  keep  the  Tao  is  lasting  life  securing. 


[   78  ]: 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


LX. 
Occupying  the  Throne 

Rule  a  great  state  in  the  way  one  would  fry  little  fish, 
Without  gutting  or  scraping,  consider  the  good  of  the  whole, 

Let  the  empire  be  ruled  in  accord  with  the  rule  of  the  Tao 
And  the  spirits  of  those  who  are  gone  will  not  seek  to  control. 

Not  only  not  seek,  but  spirits  will  harm  not  the  people, 
Not  only  not  harm,  but,  because  of  the  rule  of  the  sage, 

Who  harms  not,  these  twain,  not  seeking  to  injure  each  other, 
Will  therefore  in  virtue  together  unite  and  engage. 


*79>= 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


LXI. 
Virtue  of  Yielding 

A  great  state  is  like  a  great  river, 
Downflowing  with  movement  and  life, 

Of  all  under  heaven  the  union, 
Of  all  under  heaven  the  wife. 

Consider  the  female,  the  woman 
Overcomes  by  her  quietude  wholly, 

Some  make  themselves  lowly  to  conquer, 
Some  conquer  because  they  are  lowly. 

And  so  a  great  state  condescending 
Will  win  smaller  states  to  unite, 

And  small  states,  themselves  by  abasement 
Will  conquer  far  more  than  by  fight. 

If  the  great  state  desire  but  to  nourish, 
And  the  small  to  preserve  and  extend, 

Then  each  has  secured  what  it  sought  for, 
But  to  do  this  the  great  one  must  bend. 


[  80]. 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


LXII. 

Attending  to  the  Tao 

T&o  is  the  hidden  refuge  of  all  things, 
To  the  good  man  his  richest  treasure  brings, 
And  to  the  bad  in  guardianship  it  clings. 
Its  beautiful  words  buy  honor  by  their  use, 
Its  noble  deeds  lift  people  from  abuse, 
And  even  the  bad,  are  they  from  it  cut  loose? 
So  when  the  emperor,  chosen  to  his  throne, 
Appoints  three  great  ones,  by  high  titles  known, 
If  one  of  these  should  come  to  him,  alone, 
Holding  the  jade-screen,  with  four  horses  fleet, 
He  would  be  less  than  one  on  lowly  seat 
Who  could  the  lessons  of  the  Tao  repeat. 
Why  did  the  ancients  prize  this  Tao  so  much? 
Was  it  not  because  it  answered  every  touch, 
And  that  the  sin-bound,  even,  escaped  thereby? 
So  it  is  most  prized  of  all  beneath  the  sky. 


[81  ]= 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


LXIII. 
Think  in  the  Beginning 

Act  the  non-acting,  let  dealing  go  on  without  dealings, 

In  the  tasteless  find  taste,  let  the  great  in  the  little  be  known, 

Find  in  the  few  that  therein  are  embodied  the  many, 
And  recompense  hatred  with  deeds  of  goodness  alone. 

Consider  what  may  become  difficult,  while  it  is  easy, 
Manage  the  great,  by  taking  it  while  it  is  small, 

From  the  easy  arise  all  the  difficult  things  under  heaven, 
And  affairs  that  are  great  their  source  in  the  little  recall. 

So  the  sage,  not  acting  the  great,  the  great  will  accomplish, 
Who  promises  lightly  lacks  truth,  and  they  who  believe 

Many  things  to  be  easy  will  find  many  hard,  while  the  sage 
With  the  difficult,  even,  finds  nothing  too  hard  to  achieve. 


,[82] 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


LXIV. 
Guarding  the  Small 

That  which  is  at  rest  is  easy  to  be  kept  hold  of, 

And  what  has  made  no  sign,  and  is  yet  concealed  from  all, 

Is  easy  to  be  taken  care  of  then  by  proper  measures, 
Break  it  while  it  is  feeble,  scatter  it  while  it  is  small. 

Act  before  it  exists,  regulate  before  disorder, 

The  mighty  tree  that  fills  the  arms  has  grown  from  a  tiny 
sprout, 
From  a  little  mound  of  earth  was  raised  the  tower  of  nine  stories, 
And  the  journey  of  a  thousand  miles  began  with  the  first  step 
out. 

He  that  makes  mars,  he  that  grasps  loses; 

The  sage  will  neither  make,  nor  mar,  nor  grasp,  and  cannot 
lose, 
But  people  fail  in  business,  on  the  verge  of  its  succeeding, 

By  losing  at  the  end  the  care  they  first  began  to  use. 

And  so  the  sage  does  not  desire  the  things  desired  by  others, 
He  does  not  prize  the  treasures  that  are  difficult  to  obtain, 

He  learns  what  others  do  not  learn,  he  turns  back  to  their  leav- 
ings, 
And  helps  spontaneous  nature,  but  dares  not  to  constrain. 


[  83  ]: 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


LXV. 
Pure  Virtue 

In  centuries  of  old  the  men  who  used  the  light 
Of  the  Tao  to  its  goodness  were  not  blinded, 

They  used  to  practise  it  not  to  make  the  people  bright, 
But,  better  still,  to  make  them  simple-minded. 

In  the  governing  of  men  the  very  hardest  thing 

To  encounter  is  their  sapience  redundant, 
To  govern  by  this  sapience  a  robber  rule  will  bring, 

And,  to  rule  without  it,  blessing  most  abundant. 

Who  knows  of  these  two  things  has  the  key  of  government, 
There  is  benefit  profound  in  their  rehearsal, 

Far-reaching  in  extent,  from  all  else  different, 
It  will  swiftly  bring  agreement  universal. 


[  84  ]- 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


LXVI. 
To  Put  Oneself  Behind 

Rivers  and  seas  I 
Homage  and  tribute  from  all  the  valley  streams 

Pour  into  these; 
They  lower  themselves,  and  for  this  reason  alone 

Become  royalties. 

So  the  wise  man, 
If  ever  he  wish  to  be  above  other  men, 

In  his  words  will  plan 
To  remain  below,  and  if  he  desire  to  lead, 

Will  keep  from  the  van. 

And  in  this  way 
Though  he  dwell  above,  men  will  not  feel  his  weight, 

He  leads  the  array, 
But  they  feel  that  he  is  not  an  impediment, 

Nor  in  their  way. 

And  so  his  compeers 
Unwearyingly  exalt  and  honor  him 

With  joy  and  cheers, 
And  since  he  does  not  strive,  no  strife  with  him 

Ever  appears. 


[  85  ] 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


LXVII. 
Three  Precious  Things 

All  the  world  agrees 

That  while  my  Tao  is  great, 
Myself  unseemly  seems  to  be, 

Like  one  of  low  estate. 
But  because  of  his  unseemliness 

Now  only  is  he  great, 
For  long  has  mediocrity 

Had  seemliness  for  mate. 

Three  precious  things  I  hold, 

And  guard  with  diligence, 
Compassionateness,  economy, 

And  avoiding  precedence. 
With  the  first  I  can  be  brave, 

With  the  second  generous  be, 
And,  while  I  shrink  from  precedence, 

Hold  honor's  high  degree. 

But  if  they  discard  compassion, 

And  are  all  for  bravery, 
Economy,  and  still  are  all 

For  generosity, 
If  they  give  up  the  rearmost  place, 

And  in  front  they  strive  to  be, 
'Tis  death!     For  compassionateness  will  give 

In  battle  victory, 
And  Heaven  for  sure  defense  will  spread 

Compassion's  canopy. 

=  =[  86  ]== 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


LXVIII. 
Fellowship  with  Heaven 

The  great  commander  is  not  a  warlike  man, 

The  hardest  fighter  is  not  a  man  of  wrath, 
The  greatest  conqueror  shares  not  in  the  strife, 

The  great  employer  treads  the  workmen's  path. 
This  is  the  virtue  known  as  "striving  not," 

The  wondrous  power  of  utilizing  men, 
And  this  is  called  the  fellowship  with  Heaven, 

The  fellowship  the  ancients  followed  then. 


[  87  ] 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


LX1X. 
Profound  Use 

An  experienced  soldier  said,  "I  dare  not  be 

The  host  in  war,  I'd  rather  be  the  guest; 
I  dare  not,  at  the  first,  advance  an  inch, 

But  rather  would  retire  a  foot  if  pressed." 
It  is  to  march  when  there's  nowhere  to  march, 

To  threat  with  arms  when  there  are  arms  nowhere, 
To  charge  without  an  enemy  in  sight, 

To  take  by  sword  and  spear  when  none  are  there. 
Misfortune  never  greater  can  there  be 

Than  to  make  light  of  enemies  in  war, 
Thereby  we  lose  our  all,  for  then  when  meet 

Embattled  hosts,  the  weak  is  conqueror. 


[  88  ] 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


LXX. 
Difficult  to  Know 

My  words  are  most  easily  known, 

Most  easy  to  practise,  too, 
But  none  in  the  world  my  words  can  know, 

And  their  practice  can  pursue. 

There's  an  Ancestry  in  my  words, 

There's  a  Head  for  the  things  I  preach, 

But,  because  they  are  all  misunderstood, 
They  know  not  what  I  teach. 

The  ones  who  know  me  are  few, 
But  the  few  who  know  me  prize, 

Though  the  sage  may  wear  a  hair-cloth  garb, 
The  gem  in  his  bosom  lies. 


[  89  ] 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


LXXL 

Knowledge  and  Its  Sickness 

To  know  the  not-known,  this  is  something  high, 

And  not  to  know  the  known  is  sick  to  be, 
To  be  sick  of  sickness  sickness  will  dispel, 
To  be  sick  of  ignorance  will  make  us  well, 
Thereby,  the  sage  from  ignorance  is  free. 


C  90]: 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


LXXII. 
Roving  Oneself 

When  people  to  the  dreadful  give  no  heed, 

On  them  will  come  what  is  their  greatest  dread; 

Then  narrow  not  the  dwelling  place  they  need, 

Do  not  depreciate  the  life  they  lead, 

For  from  dislike  of  things  dislike  is  bred. 

Therefore  the  one  who  knows  himself,  the  sage, 

Of  what  he  is  himself  makes  no  display, 

He  loves  himself,  indeed,  from  youth  to  age, 

But  self-esteem  does  not  his  mind  engage, 

He  chooses  that  and  this  he  puts  away. 


[  91  ] 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


LXXIII. 

Trusting  In  Action 

Whose  courage  makes  him  dare  is  slain, 
He  lives  whom  courage  makes  refrain, 
And  harm  or  profit  each  will  gain; 
But  Heaven's  hate,  what  could  compel 
That  it  on  this  or  that  one  fell, 
Tis  even  hard  for  sage  to  tell. 

Not  to  strive  is  Heaven's  way, 
And  yet  it  conquers ;  naught  to  say, 
Yet  answers;  will  uncalled  obey; 
Its  perfect  plans  in  slowness  hide, 
The  net  of  Heaven  has  meshes  wide, 
But  through  its  meshes  none  can  glide. 


[  92  ]: 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


LXXIV. 
To  Control  Delusion 

When  people  fear  not  death,  then  why 

Affright  them  with  its  fear? 
If  kept  in  awe  of  it  could  I 
Seize  one  for  some  wild  deed  to  die, 

And  slay  him?    Who  would  dare? 

To  slay  the  slayer  stands  always 

The  executioner, 
Now,  if  some  one  his  work  essays, 
And  seeks  to  slay  the  one  who  slays, 

That  man  is  sure  to  err. 

Great  carpenter,  we  call  him,  who 

To  slay  the  slayer  stands, 
And  hewing  is  his  work  to  do, 
Who  takes  the  hewer's  place,  to  hew, 

Is  sure  to  cut  his  hands. 


[  93  1 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


LXXV. 

Injury  from  Covetousness 

The  taxes  eaten  by  the  ruling  class 

Left  nothing  to  be  eaten  by  the  mass, 

And  that  is  why  through  famine  they  must  pass. 

The  ruling  class  made  such  a  great  ado 

In  ruling  men,  that  these  made  trouble,  too, 

And  that  is  why  their  difficulties  grew. 

People  make  light  of  death  in  their  turmoil, 
And,  seeking  life's  excess,  thereby  beguile 
Themselves  till  death,  made  light  of,  claims  his  spoil. 

On  life  to  set  less  store  is  therefore  best, 
It  thus  becomes  a  far  more  worthy  quest 
Than  when  'tis  made  one's  ruling  interest. 


-[    94    ]  = 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


LXXVI. 
Caution  Against  Strength 

Man  in  his  life  is  tender  and  weak, 

He  dies,  and  is  rigid  and  strong, 
Trees  and  grass  in  their  life  are  supple  and  weak, 

They  die,  and  are  stiff  as  a  prong; 
What  accompany  life  are  the  tender  and  weak, 

And  death  are  the  stiff  and  the  strong. 
The  conqueror  fails  who  relies  on  his  strength, 

The  tree  in  its  strength  the  woodman  will  chop, 
The  strong  and  the  great  will  stay  under,  at  length,, 

And  the  tender  and  weak  on  the  top. 


[95)- 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


LXXVII. 
The  Way  of  Heaven 

May  not  the  Way  of  Heaven  be  compared 

To  the  bending-  of  a  bow, 
Bringing  down  the  part  which  formerly  was  high, 

And  raising  up  the  low? 
It  takes  from  men  their  superabundant  things, 

Which  to  the  poorer  go. 

But  while  it  is  the  Way  of  Heaven  to  curb 

All  superfluity, 
And  supplement,  for  those  who  lacking  are, 

Their  own  deficiency, 
Men's  way  is  different  quite,  they  rob  the  poor, 

That  richer  they  may  be. 

Who  are  the  men  who,  with  great  store  of  wealth, 

Their  fellow-men  can  bless 
By  serving  them?     Tis  only  who,  themselves, 

The  Tao  of  Heaven  possess. 

Therefore  the  sage  will  act,  but  never  claim 

Himself  the  benefits, 
Accomplish  deeds  of  merit,  then  retire 

Unseen  from  where  he  sits; 
And  does  he  ever  seek  to  make  display 

Of  worth  he  ne'er  admits? 


[  9*5  ]• 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


LXXVIII. 
True  Faith 

There  is  nothing  weaker  than  water, 

Or  easier  to  efface, 
But  for  attacking  the  hard  and  the  strong 

Nothing  can  take  its  place. 

That  the  tender  conquers  the  rigid, 
That  the  weak  overcomes  the  strong, 

The  whole  world  knows,  but  in  practice  who 
Can  carry  the  work  along? 

"Who  bears  the  sins  of  his  country," 

We  know  from  the  sage's  word, 
"Shall  be  called  the  master  of  sacrifice, 

And  hailed  as  its  altar's  lord." 

"Who  carries  his  country's  woes, 

The  curse  of  the  land  who  bears, 
Shall  be  called  the  king  of  the  world";  'tis  true, 

Though  a  paradox  it  appears. 


[97  3 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


LXXIX. 

To  Sustain  Agreements 

When  parties  long  in  animosity 
Are  reconciled,  a  grudge  there  still  will  be, 
Some  hatred  yet  remains  from  that  old  grudge, 
And  what  will  best  suffice  to  make  it  budge? 

The  sage  will  then  of  his  agreement  hold 
His  own  part,  leaving  others  uncontrolled, 
Who  virtue  has,  the  whole  agreement  names, 
While  he  who  has  not,  only  cites  his  claims. 

The  Tao  of  Heaven  no  favoritism  knows, 
But  for  the  good  will  ever  interpose. 


—  [93] 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


LXXX. 
Standing  Alone 

Suppose  I  had  a  country  small, 
With  people  few,  and  I  had  there 

Some  officers  of  ten, 

Or  of  a  hundred  men, 
I'd  not  employ  those  men  at  all; 
Though  death  were  feared,  unfrightened  then, 
My  people  would  not  emigrate  elsewhere. 

They  might  have  carriages  and  boats, 
But  not  in  them  to  ride  away, 

They  might  have  warlike  arms, 

But  never  war's  alarms 
Would  call  them  with  their  hateful  notes; 
They'd  even  forget  how  writing  charms, 
And  knotted  cords  again  they  would  display. 

Then  would  they  relish  homely  food, 
Their  plain  clothes  would  seem  elegant, 

Though  dwellings  might  be  poor, 

Content  would  guard  the  door, 
And  simple  habits,  plain  and  good, 
Far  better  than  they  knew  before, 
A  sense  of  fresh  enjoyment  would  implant. 
A  neighboring  state  might  be  in  sight, 
The  voice  of  fowls  and  dogs  be  heard, 

But  life  like  that  would  make 

My  people  such  joy  take 
In  their  own  state,  that  till  the  night 
Of  age  should  their  enjoyment  slake, 
And  they  should  die,  they'd  not  exchange  a  word. 

= [  99  3== ===== 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


LXXXI. 
Making  Clear  the  Substance 

Sincere  words  are  not  fine, 

Fine  words  are  not  sincere, 
[The  Faithful  friend  will  stick  to  the  end, 

But  the  flatterer  tickles  the  ear.] 

The  skillful  do  not  debate, 

Debaters  lack  in  skill, 
[For  truth  is  found  by  looking  around, 

And  words  are  weapons  of  ill.] 

The  knowing  are  not  most  learned, 

The  most  learned  do  not  know, 
[For  knowledge  is  grown  from  thought  alone, 

While  learning  from  others  must  grow.] 

The  sage  lays  up  no  treasure, 

No  hoard  of  goods  or  gold, 
[For  they  who  keep  a  store-house  deep, 

A  constant  watch  must  hold.] 

The  more  he  works  for  others 
The  more  he  works  for  his  own, 

[For  it  grows  by  use,  is  lost  by  abuse, 
And  he  gathers  by  what  he  has  sown.] 


:[IOO]- 


THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


The  more  he  gives  away, 

The  more  does  he  have  himself, 
[For  thought's  a  thing  that  from  thought  will  spring, 

Which  is  quite  the  reverse  of  pelf.] 

The  Way  of  Heaven  is  sharp, 

But  it  never  will  cut  nor  wound, 
[For  they  who  swim  with  the  flowing  stream 

Will  ever  be  safe  and  sound.] 

Tis  the  way  of  the  sage  to  act, 

He  acts  but  never  strives, 
[For  striving  breaks  whatever  it  makes, 

And  only  a  wreck  survives.] 


END  OF  THE  TAO  TEH  KING 


:[  IOI  ]: 


THE    EPILOGUE 


THE  EPILOGUE 


So  wrote  the  ancient  sage  they  call  Lao  Tsze, 
The  day  he  passed  out  from  the  sight  of  men. 

The  tale's  a  strange  one :  full  a  hundred  years 
Had  passed  like  benedictions  o'er  his  head 
And  left  him  rich  in  thought  and  filled  with  truth. 

Curator  of  the  Royal  Library, 
The  stores  of  China's  learning  all  were  his, 
Review,  and  introspection,  and  outlook, 
The  broadening  views  from  long  experience, 
And  fellowship  with  those  who  gathered  round; 
And  to  this  all-enripened  intellect 
Came  down  the  efflux  from  the  infinite. 

The  dynasty  was  tottering,  selfishness 
Grew  master,  and  all  else  subordinate, 
The  times  were  out  of  joint,  the  end  was  nigh, 
— There  was  the  wilderness,  he  took  his  staff 
And  wended  forth,  self-exiled  from  his  home. 

The  Tao  was  known  of  men:  God  never  shuts 
The  windows  of  his  heaven  to  those  who  look, 
And  this  old  sage  had  taught  for  all  these  years 
The  secret  of  its  path,  its  simpleness, 
Its  harmony,  its  wondrous  saving  grace. 

He  reached  the  North-west  gate,  the  barrier-gate, 
[Which  opened  on  the  vast  world-wilderness, 
And  paused  in  loneliness.     Picture  the  scene; 
Behind  him  China's  ancient  palaces, 
Her  cultured  hills  and  plains,  her  roads,  her  streams, 
The  people  he  had  loved  and  taught,  the  friends 
And  neighbors  of  his  honored  hundred  years ; 
And  there  wild  feudal  tribes  in  warlike  waves, 
Melting  afar  in  endless  desert  plains 
Where  savages,  enwrithed  with  wild  beasts,  fought; 


P03] 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


And  here  the  gateway  of  this  mighty  wall 
Now  closing  on  his  living  sepulchre. 

The  warden  of  the  gate  bowed  low  and  said, 
"Master,  about  to  pass  from  sight  of  men, 
I  pray  you  here  and  now,  before  you  go, 
Write  me  the  book  that  all  the  world  require." 

He  sat  and  wrote,  on  that  dividing  line 
Between  the  known  and  the  unknown  beyond, 
The  book,  the  TAO-TEH,  and  there  revealed 
The  Tao,  its  attributes,  »its  lessons  full 
Of  all  that  makes  for  life  and  happiness, 
Of  all  that  leads  to  truth  and  usefulness, 
The  richest  legacy  man  ever  left, 
Though  dowered^  with  the  wealth  of  gods,  to  man. 

Twas  five  and  twenty  centuries  ago, 
And  from  that  day  to  this  the  magic  work, 
Magic  alone  in  its  simplicity, 
Its  noble  virtue,  its  unselfishness, 
Its  truth  in  full  perspective  and  detail, 
For  those  who  were,  and  are,  and  are  to  be, 
Stands  loftiest,  and  oldest  of  its  kind. 

And  yet,  to  some  it  seemed  a  stumbling  block 
In  China,  and  to  strangers  foolishness, 
But  in  our  modern  sun-burst  lo!  it  stands 
In  full  but  silent  harmony  with  God, 
And  he  with  it,  as  when  he  stood  alone 
Beneath  the  barrier-gate,  the  tomb  which  closed, 
When  he  passed  on  to  immortality. 

Go  to  the  boasted  science  of  to-day, 
Around  which  darkness  crowds  on  every  side, 
Which  occupies  an  island,  phantom-lit, 
Which  seeing  little,  comprehending  less, 


[104] 


THE  EPILOGUE 


Would  chart  the  universe  from  a  grain  of  sand. 

Go  to  the  great  philosophers,  who  can, 
Pythagoras,  Heraklitus,  and  those 
Who  came  before  great  Plato,  after  him 
The  might  of  Aristotle,  ruling  men 
For  ages,  then  the  systems  verging  on 
Through  medieval  darkness  to  the  birth 
Of  that  Cartesian  surge  which,  like  the  flow 
And  ebb  of  some  great  tide,  still  laps  our  shores. 

Go  to  the  dim  traditions  of  the  past, 
Read  the  Book  of  the  Dead,  the  papyri, 
And  Egypt's  rock-encarved  philosophy; 
Grope  through  the  shards  of  Babylonian  plains, 
City  on  city  built,  ruin  on  ruin, 
Still  o'er  and  o'er,  till  back  the  flood  of  years 
Sweeps  us  beyond  the  priest-marked  dawn  of  man, 
And  mocks  at  superstition's  little  inch; 
Trace  up  the  sacred  Hebrew  stream  which  ran, 
A  rill  of  light,  athwart  the  ancient  world, 
And  flashed  into  everlasting  flame  in  ours; 
Gather  the  huge  Vedanta  in  your  grasp, 
Thread  the  vast  maze  of  Buddhist  literature, 
Sift  out  the  Saracen  philosophy, 
Burrow  in  Aztec  mounds  or  Mayan  graves, 
Trace  where  you  will  the  legends,  half  effaced, 
Which  mark  the  march  of  mind  along  life's  way. 

Then  turn  to  this  poor  old  philosopher 
Who  wrote  in  water;  but  the  mighty  thought 
Grew  crystal-solid,  and  the  message  grew 
Till  twice  ten-thousand  millions  paused  and  heard, 
And  heeded,  and  the  mighty  truth  was  born 
Which  time,  nor  war,  nor  famine  ever  stilled, 


[105] 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


Nor  shall,  while  suffering  men  on  earth  remain. 

Was  he  inspired?    Aye,  doubly,  trebly  so; 
The  very  soul  of  nature  spoke  in  him, 
And  that  which  antedated  Nature's  soul, 
The  Nameless,  in  its  everlasting  flow. 
From  the  abyss  this  solitary  voice, 
Amid  the  crash  of  dynasties,  he  heard, 
And  simple,  fearless,  of  its  mysteries 
This  prophet  of  the  past  and  future  spake. 

Not  like  great  Moses,  when  with  soul  aflame 
He  faced  the  host  of  Pharaoh  in  his  might, 
Not  like  Elijah,  when  with  wrathful  mien 
He  braved  alone  the  phrenzied  priests  of  Baal; 
Nor  like  the  martyr  burning  at  the  stake, 
Or  mighty  heroes  sweeping  legions  on; 
Nor  like  the  hermit  prince  of  India's  plains, 
Or  great  Mahomet  with  his  sword  of  faith. 

Yet  most  like  him  in  that  he  lived  among 
His  fellows  in  their  own  simplicity, 
And,  when  the  time  had  come,  his  message  gave, 
Sublime,  eternal,  all-embracing,  full, 
Then  disappeared,  as  one  caught  up  from  earth, 
Not  in  their  sight  who  stood,  and  raptured  gazed, 
But  disappeared  like  mist  in  that  great  blue, 
Unknown,  unmarked,  unheralded,  unseen. 

Where  is  he  now?    We  know,  where'er  he  is, 
He  still  is  part  of  that  eternal  Tao, 
Still  walks  its  perfect  way,  still  lives  its  life, 
And  teaches  its  eternal  truth  to  men. 

Let  us  not  measure  him  by  our  finesse, 
Our  modern  word-entanglements  and  twists, 
Like  goggled  sentence-makers  passing  by; 

^C  106  ]  = 


THE  EPILOGUE 


Wouldst  measure  mountain  peaks  with  ropes  of  sand, 
Or  sound  the  great  deep  with  feathers  on  a  string? 
The  thin  archaic  language  of  that  day 
Grew  splendid  in  its  power  beneath  his  hand. 

Plain-spoken,  as  behooves  plain-speaking  men, 
Straightforward,  as  the  path  which  duty  treads, 
Pure,  as  the  ether  which  envelops  all 
And  interpenetrates,  with  living  fire; 
Homely,  as  honest  men  who  love  their  homes, 
Wise  in  statecraft,  in  peace,  in  change,  in  war, 
And  simple-minded,  as  the  great  ones  are. 

"The  Old  Philosopher,"  Confucius  called  him, 
Grimly  admiring  what  he  taught,  and  was, 
But  understood  him  not,  saying  "if  we 
Do  good  to  them  that  do  us  harm,  then  what 
Shall  be  their  recompense  who  do  us  good?" 

Aye,  what  indeed?    For  this  great  teacher  cried 
"Recompense  good  with  good,  and  evil,  too, 
With  good;"  he  comprehended  that  great  law 
Which  makes  the  blessed  rain  alike  to  fall 
On  just  and  unjust;  that  if  we  would  share 
One  part  of  that  great  whole,  we  must  share  all; 
That  man's  high-water  mark,  the  golden  rule, 
Ig  but  the  law  of  God  as  God  is  law. 

What  was  the  message  of  this  holy  man, 
Who  hated  Holiness?  benevolent, 
Who  all  our  cheap  Benevolence  despised? 
This  philanthropic  man,  who  saw  the  snare 
Of  our  Philanthropy,  and  turned  aside? 
Who  reaching  all  great  goals,  yet  hated  goals? 
And  who,  all  seeking,  all  self-seeking  scorned? 

Go  to  some  tidal  shore,  and  watch  the  flow, 


[107]- 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


Go  to  some  forest  vast,  and  trace  the  growth, 

Go  to  yon  river,  sweeping  silently, 

Note  the  wee  people  of  the  bank  and  turf, 

Then  lift  your  eyes  to  the  stars;  what  see  you  there? 

Whence  the  great  thoughts  which  come  unheralded? 

— Take  this  white  page;  draft  on  it  nature's  plan; 

'Tis  done;  and  white  the  paper  yet  remains. 

A  planet  swerves,  'tis  dragged  from  harmony; 
A  forest  falls,  it  was  the  tempest's  blast; 
A  river  bursts  its  swollen  banks,  and  sweeps 
Its  besom  over  devastated  plains; 
The  ants  and  bees  on  battle-fields  engage ; 
We  force  the  thought — lo!  it  is  commonplace, 
We  strive,  and  break  our  fingers  and  our  teeth. 

He  mars  who  makes,  he  breaks  who  strives  to  grasp; 
Await  the  word;  be  still  that  you  may  hear; 
Watch!  wait!  follow!  harm  not!  help! 
Gather  the  fruit  of  life;  thank  God  and  live! 

Yet  not  the  doing  was  it  he  condemned, 
For  laziness  is  twin  with  selfishness, 
But  the  sharp  shove  which  thrusts  a  fellow-man 
Into  the  torrent  from  a  crowded  bridge, 
The  aim  which  sends  the  deadly  bullet  forth 
To  tear  a  prize  from  nature's  heart,  and  leaves 
The  man  successful  by  the  peaceful  pool 
Where  a  wounded  dove  lies  gasping,  bleeding,  dying. 


Now  read  your  Bible,  sluggard, — read  again, 
Gather  new  meanings  from  its  warp  and  woof; 
Learn  the  God-gospel  of  unselfish  man,, 
— And  if  you  cannot,  close  its  poisoned  page, 
It  is  not  food  for  you,  nor  you  for  gods. 

~l  108  ]  — 


ANALYTICAL  INDEX 


ANALYTICAL  INDEX  OF  SUBJECTS 

CONTENTMENT. 

Chapter  XXXIII.    He  who  is  satisfied  is  rich. 

Chapter  XLIV.    Who  knows  he  has  enough,  never  knows  disgrace. 

Chapter  XLVI.  He  who  knowa  contentment  has  the  all-sufficient  cure, 
and,  satisfied,  will  endure  evermore. 

Chapter  LXVII.  I  hold  three  precious  things:  Compaseionateness,  Econ- 
omy, and  Avoiding  precedence. 

Chapter  LXXV.    On  life  to  set  less  store  is  therefore  best. 

Chapter  LXXIX.    What  will  best  suffice  to  make  a  hatred  budge? 

The  incessant  teaching  of  the  T&o  Teh  is  patience  and  contentment,  with- 
out strife  or  quarreling.  Only  justice  can  justify  contention,  and  striv- 
ing disturbs  the  equanimity  on  which  all  true  advancement  and  happi- 
ness depend.  The  absence  of  disturbing  desires,  the  seeking  for  direct 
knowledge  from  the  heart  of  nature  itself,  by  observation  and  experi- 
ence, are  constantly  insisted  on.  The  great  object  in  life  is  to  be  in 
accord  with  the  great  integrating  principle  of  the  universe,  and  to  assist 
thii  harmony,  instead  of  to  oppose  and  disturb  it. 

Chapter  LXXXI.  'Ti«  the  way  of  the  sage  to  act;  he  acts,  but  never 
strives. 

The  more  he  works  for  others,  the  more  he  works. for  his  own. 
The  more  he  gives  away,  the  more  does  he  have  himself. 
DESIRES. 

Chapter  I.    The  desire  strongly  felt  prevents  accomplishment. 

Chapter  III.    Repression  of  desires  keeps  the  mind  at  ease. 

Chapter  XXXVII.  Here  we  have  a  curious  paradox.  After  the  trans- 
formation, by  sinking  all,  in  the  harmony  of  Tao  and  its  operations,  if 
the  old  leaven  of  unrest  should  again  assert  itself,  by  a  desire  for 
change,  he  would  meet  it  by  citing  the  TSLo'a  ineffable  simplicity,  to 
which  all  would  consent.  But  if  this  simplicity  were  itself  mixed  with 
desire,  it  would  no  longer  be  simplicity,  but  complexity;  so,  by  adher- 
ing to  the  simple,  everything  would  continue  on  as  before.  There  is, 
apparently,  a  latent  humor  in  this  part  of  the  chapter. 

-[  io9  ]•—  


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


Chapter  XL VI.    There  is  no  greater  sin  than  to  sanction  fell  desires. 

Chapter  LV.  They  call  the  heart  directed  spirit  strength.  This  is  spoken 
ironically. 

Chapter  LXIV.    The  sage  does  not  desire  the  things  desired  by  others. 

Chapter  LXVII.  To  discard  compassion,  and  economy,  and  strive  for  pre- 
cedence, is  death. 

Chapter  LXXV.  Result  of  pursuing  life's  intensity;  death  takes  us  una- 
wares. 

Chapter  LXXVI.    The  conqueror  fails  who  relies  on  his  strength. 
EXISTENCE  AND  NON-EXISTENCE. 

Chapter  I.  Existence  and  non-existence  are  here  contrasted,  and  shown 
as  joined  in  one  grand  progression,  in  which  spirit,  the  producer,  now 
manifests  itself. 

Chapter  II.  In  this  remarkable  series  of  contrasts,  each  member  demand- 
ing its  complement,  existence  and  non-existence  are  described  as  broth- 
ers, not  opponents  of  each  other.  This  is  beautifully  elaborated  in  the 
commentaries  of  Kwang  Tsze,  on  this  chapter. 

Chapter  IV.  The  development  of  existence,  from  stage  to  stage,  is  de- 
scribed, and  it  is  traced  back  to  that  state  of  God  and  of  the  TS.0  in 
which  intellect  and  will  are  presented,  somewhat  as  pictured  in  von 
Hartmann's  philosophy  of  the  Unconscious,  or,  in  Swedenborg's  Flux 
and  Influx,  under  the  forms  of  love  and  wisdom. 

Chapter  VI.  The  "Spirit  of  the  Valley"  is  shown  as  producing  forms. 
This  is  the  ancient  name  of  the  Spirit  of  the  Universe.     , 

Chapter  XI.  The  usefulness  of  material  things  is  only  for  the  sake!  of  the 
non-material  or  spiritual. 

Chapter  XL.  Existence  arises  from  the  non-existent.  The  processes  are 
spontaneous  and  evolutional. 

Chapter  XLII.  The  process  of  existence  is  pictured  from  its  beginning, 
first  in  the  Tao,  then  through  the  One,  the  Two,  the  Three,  and  the 
All. 

Chapter  XLIII.  The  non-existent  enters  everywhere,  irrespective  of  phy- 
sical obstructions. 

Chapter  L.  The  opening  sentences  of  this  chapter  deal  with  the  problem 
of  life  and  death  and  of  existence.  It  will  thus  be  clearly  seen  that  ia 
fdeath  is  the  home,  and  death  the  returning  home,  while  life  is  the 
going  forth.  The  "home"  is  the  permanent  dwelling  place,  from  whieh 
we  go  forth  like  temporary  travelers;  but  our  treasures,  our  sources  of 
supply,  our  families,  and  all  that  makes  life  worth  living,  are  in  our 
home,  which  is  our  permanent  place,  our  rest,  our  reward.    The  word 

[no] 


ANALYTICAL  INDEX 


woo  is  used  for  non-existence.  It  literally  signifies:  not,  without, 
destitute  of,  wanting,  the  state  between  emptiness  and  nothingness. 
The,  character  is  compounded  of  the  radicals  of  fire  and  of  blood,  with 
the  horizontal  stroke  of  unity  crossing  the  latter. 

It  is  this  non-existence  from  which,  as  stated  in  Chapter  XL,  ex- 
istence was  brought  forth,  and  all  things  came  into  being.  The  com- 
pound radicals  making  up  the  character  woo  suggest  curious  specula- 
tions as  to  actual  nothingness.  Substances  are  only  known  as  sub- 
stances by  their  sensible  properties.  Without  these  properties  such 
substances  might  be  conceived  as  omnipresent,  filling  all  space,  and  yet 
being  actually  nothingness.  Outside  this,  conceptions  of  nothingness 
are  simple  mental  abstractions  of  no  value  whatever. 

Kwang  Tsze,  in  his  commentaries  on  the  Tao  Teh  King,  who  wrote 
shortly  after  Lfi.o  Tsze's  time,  discussed  these  questions  in  a  manner 
which  no  philosophical  casuistry  has  ever  surpassed. 

"Some  held  that  at  first  there  was  not  anything.  A  second  class 
held  that  there  was  something,  but  without  any  responsive  recognition 
of  it."  This  is  the  point  referred  to  above,  regarding  sensible  quali- 
ties. *'A  third  class  held  that  there  was  such  recognition,  but  there 
had  not  begun  to  be  any  expression  of  different  opinions  about  it." 
Again,  he  says,  "There  was  existence;  there  had  been  no  existence. 
There  was  no  existence  before  the  beginning  of  that  no  existence. 
There  was  no  existence  previous  to  the  no  existence  before  there  was 
the  beginning  of  no  existence.  If  suddenly  there  was  non-existence, 
we  do  not  know  whether  it  was  really  anything  existing,  or  really  not 
existing."    What  is  the  value,  he  says,  of  such  speculations? 

The  keynote  of  all  such  questions  must  be  in  the  existence  of  energy, 
which  is  all  we  know  of  either  force  or  matter,  and  only  then  when 
mutually  interacting.  Outside  this,  there  is  nothing  but  mental  ab- 
stractions, of  no  force  or  value.  So  of  the  questions  of  time  and  eter- 
nity, and  of  space  and  infinity.  Kant,  in  his  antinomies,  clearly 
brought  out  these  mental  abstractions,  showing  that  either  alternative 
i«  equally  untenable;  whioh  proves  that  these  difficulties  are  not  in 
the  things  themselves,  or  in  their  absence,  but  in  our  limitations,  as 
only  affected  by  phenomena  sensible  to  ourselves,  who  are,  ourselves, 
limited  in  grasp,  and  grossly  imperfect  in  our  senses.  Matter  may  ei- 
ist,  enormous  in  potential  and  actual  stress,  which  to  us  is  absolutely 
nothingness,  because  its  powers  do  not  affect  our  five  senses  of  touch, 
taste,  sight,  hearing,  or  smell,  or  appear  in  terms  interpretable  into 
these  senses.    Were  it  not  that  light  and  electrical  oscillations  are  in 


[ml- 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


#ynchronal  rhythn  with  the  luminiferous  ether,  and  with  the  eye,  the 
luminiferoua  ether  itself,  for  us,  would  have  absolutely  no  existence, 
and  yet  it  would  exist  just  the  same;  for  this  synchronism  of  rhythm 
is  merely  accidental,  except  on  the  teleological  basis,  which  material- 
ism rejects,  or  strives  to  reject. 

A  recent  writer,  on  the  other  hand,  in  favor  of  the  idealistic  view, 
that  matter  is  non-existent,  and  only  mind  exists,  fias  attributed  our 
ideas  of  matter,  as  contradistinguished  from  mind,  as  due  to  our  own 
ignorance,  holding  that  it  is  merely  "a  mortal  belief."  But  suppose 
that  it  were  not  a  mortal  belief,  but  a  ''divine  belief,"  that  is  to  say, 
a  distinction  made  by  the  T9x>  or  the  Ti,  as  a  fundamental  basis  of 
existence,  then  all  our  mortal  ideas  would  fail  to  dislodge  the  belief, 
or  make  it  false;  it  would  be  as  eternally  true  as  any  other  eternal 
truth;  and  would  be  founded  on  the  primal  constitution  of  things. 

EVOLUTION  AND  INVOLUTION. 

There  is  no  original  "creation"  to  be  found  in  all  the  chapters  of 
this  work;  all  ia  development  or  evolution,  interchanging,  at  times, 
with  involution.  The  terms  used  are  "brought  forth,"  (Chapter  I); 
"motherhood,"  (Chapters  I,  VI.);  "produced,"  etc. 

Chapter  XVI.  The  causes  of  evolution,  and  of  alternating  involution,  are 
here  followed  out  through  a  complete  cycle. 

Chapter  XXI.  Here  again  we  find  described  the  processes  of  development 
of  all  the  universe,  but  in  another  aspect.  Some  translators  have  com- 
plained of  repetitions  in  some  of  the  chapters  of  the  T&o  Teh,  but  when 
carefully  studied  and  rendered,  every  one  will  be  umnd  individual  in 
itself,  and  different  from  all  the  others. 

Chapter  XXV.  Here  we  have  a  picture  of  the  great  primordial  processes. 
The  "returning,"  on  which  so  much  stress  is  laid,  is  that  great  process 
of  involution,  the  key  of  which  will  be  found  in  Chapter  XLII. 

Chapter  XXXIV.  This  is  another  of  those  great  chapters  on  evolution, 
in  which,  the  interpretation,  which  is  missing  in  all  modern  theories 
of  evolution,  excepting  that  of  Lamarck,  is  here  clearly  presented,  and 
insisted  on,  from  start  to  finish. 

The  pervading  principle  is  present  in  all  changes,  but  the  individ- 
ual existences  are  not  cognizant  of  its  controlling  presence.  It  take* 
no  control. 

Chapter  XL.  "A  returning."  The  production  of  all  things,  and  the  pro- 
duction of  existence  from  what  is  apparently  nothingness,  by  an  evo- 
lution, and  not  a  creation. 


ANALYTICAL  INDEX 


Chapter  XLU.  The  grand  process  of  evolution  is  here  directly  stated,  and 
the  interstitial  epirit-harmonieer  te  described,  which  accompanies  and 
carries  on  every  change  from  the  Yin  nature  to  the  Yang  nature. 

Chapter  LI.  The  evolution  of  life  is  here  depicted  with  the  "great  inte- 
grating principle  of  the  universe"  a»  the  mover  and  eustainer.  The 
Tfto  acts,  and  in  its  activity  manifests  itself  as  the  Teh,  or  its  oper- 
ating attributes  or  virtues.  In  the  third  portion  uf  the  chapter  this 
difference  in  unity  is  clearly  brought  out. 
FUTURE  UFE. 

Lfto  Tsse's  teachings  on  this  subject  are  very  clear  and  explicit; 
far  more  so  than  those  of  any  other  writer  of  any  age  at  all  approach- 
ing his  in  antiquity.  This  was  due  to  his  teachings  regarding  spirits 
of  the  dead,  which  he  believed  to  manifest  themselves  as  tangible 
realities,  at  times,  and,  in  fact,  to  the  whole  spiritual  basis  of  his  philos- 
ophy. In  Chapter  XLII  there  is  a  spirituality  acting  between  every 
two  changes  of  either  matter  or  mind,  which  leads  the  less  developed 
into  the  more  developed.  Spirit,  or  spirituality,  iu  it*  broadest  sense, 
is  the  fundamental  chord  of  all  the  harmonies  of  the  Tfto-Teh. 

Chapter  XXXIII.  The  man  who  dies  and  docs  not  perish,  lives  longer 
still;  a  Chinese  expression  for  immortality. 

Chapter  XLIV.  Long  endure,  evermore  secure.  A  «ian  like  this  is  fitted 
to  continue  on  serenely  and  securely  forever. 

Chapter  XLVI.    The  contented  will  evermore  endure. 

Chapter  L.  This  greatly  admired  chapter  opens  with  the  sublime  text, 
"The  going  forth  is  life;  the  coming  home  is  death."  Death  is  the 
gateway  of  return  to  the  real  life,  the  involution  physically  into  a  new 
and  grander  evolution.  Man  goes  out  as  a  traveler  and  returns  home 
enriched  with  the  leesons  of  life  and  mind,  and  experience. 

Some  translaters  have  imagined  that  the  "three  in  ten"  are  ghostly 
pursuers  of  the  living.  Nothing  is  more  absurd.  Suppose  we  should 
•ay  that  among  ten  college  graduates  there  were  three  followers  of  the 
law,  three  pursuers  of  medicine,  three  who  followed  a  soldier's  life,  and 
one  who  pursued  philosophy.  Who  would  imagine  that  the  ghosts  of 
these  various  callings  were  pursuing  them  as  phantoms,  in  a  mytho- 
logical sense,  to  drag  them  down? 

Some  commentators  have  objected  to  the  concluding  portion  of 
the  chapter  as  unwarrantedly  promising  immunity  from  death.  But 
this  is  not  true;  the  exemption  is  from  death  through  preventable 
causes  only.  This  especial  one  takes  such  care,  and  is  so  capable  of 
managing  his  life,  that  the  dangers  into  which  fools  rush,  and  are  lost 

=[  "3  3—  => 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


thereby,  lie  simply  prepares  himself  for,  and  passing  on  with  equanim- 
ity and  courage,  he  finds  them  recede  as  he  advances.  This  is  surely  the 
experience  of  mankind  in  all  ages.  In  this  sense  there  is  immunity, 
but  he  does  not  even  promise  this  as  a  fact;  its  form,  as  a  parable  or 
saying  which  he  endorses,  is  shown  by  its  opening  clause,  "As  I  have 
beard  it  said."  Such  a  man  does  not  escape  death,  which  is  natural 
and  inevitable,  but  he  escapes  the  "bad  death"  referred  to  in  Chapter 
XLII.    "The  violent  and  aggressive  a  good  death  do  not  die." 

"The  coming  home  is  death."  This  is  the  returning,  of  Chapter 
XL.  It  is  involution,  but  the  returning  is  when  completed  and  per- 
fected; something  has  been  gained  and  will  be  retained  from  the  ex- 
perience of  existence.  In  Chapter  XXII  we  read,  "They  will  be  truly 
perfected,  and  will  return  home."  In  Chapter  XVI,  "These  return- 
ings  of  command  are  called  eternal;  to  know  the  eternal  is  compre- 
hension; breadth  of  comprehension  is  royal;  the  royal  is  heavenly; 
heavenly  means  the  Tao;  the  Tao  is  everlasting;  and  the  death  of  the 
body  results  in  no  loss."    This  is  the  uniform  teaching  of  the  Tao  Teh. 

Chapter  LII.  This  chapter  concludes  with  what  appears  to  be,  in  effect, 
the  theme  of  the  well-known  hymn,  "Lead,  Kindly  Light."  Employ 
the  Light  (of  the  Tao),  and  return  home  to  its  source  in  brightness, 
and  your  body  will  not  be  subject  to  calamity,  and  you  wih  train  or 
exercise,    (literally  flap  your  wings),  with  the  Eternal." 

The  concluding  lines  of  each  portion  of  this  chapter  deal  with  the 
promised  future  life  by  a  periphrasis  idiomatic  with  the  Chinese. 

Chapter  LXIL  This  beautiful  chapter  is  full  of  the  promise  of  future  life, 
"And  that  the  sin-bound  even  escape  thereby." 

Chapter  LXXVI.  The. strong  and  the  great  will  finally  stay  under,  and 
the  tender  and  weak  on  the  top.  It  should  be  observed,  of  this  future 
life,  that  its  character  is  determined  by  our  conduct  and  character 
here;  and  that  we  have  free-will  in  its  fullest  sense.  In  Chapter  LI, 
the  sense  of  honor  and  gratitude  among  creatures  is  not  by  command, 
by  fore  ordination,  but  is  altogether  spontaneous;  in  Chapter  XXXTV, 
no  one  is  refused  the  gift,  and  the  great  producer  does  not  claim  merit 
or  ownership;  in  Chapter  XXVII,  there  is  an  important  spiritual 
bond  among  all  men,  which  induces  the  good  to  instruct  the  bad,  and 
the  bad  to  be  material' for  the  good,  with  mutual  love  and  este«m. 
So,  in  Chapter  XXVIII,  the  character  of  the  sage  self-determines  it» 
relationship  to  the  future  life.  The  teaching  is  that  beings  are  de- 
tached from,  but  remain  co-ordinated  with,  the  primal. 


C114]- 


ANALYTICAL  INDEX 


GOVERNMENT. 

Chapter  XVII.  This  chapter  points  out  the  different  stages  of  the  rule 
of  men,  from  the  earliest,  which  was  spontaneous  almost,  and  imper- 
ceptible, down  to  the  faithless  tyranny  of  later  ages.  Success  in  govern- 
ment is  dependent  on  the  pressure  being  unperceived.  It  conforms  to 
Jefferson's  well-known  saying,  "That  government  is  the  best  which 
governs  least,"  that  is,  which  interferes  least  with  personal  uoerty. 

In  Chapter  III,  the  desires  of  the  people  to  work  up  schemes  of 
government  among  themselves  (which  are  really  for  the  government 
of  others  by  themselves,  or  political  intrigue)  are  described  as  deleteri- 
ous to  their  welfare.  The  sage's  government  revises  all  this,  and  leave* 
the  course  natural. 

Chapter  XXV.  In  the  latter  part  of  this  chapter  the  sequence  of  divin* 
order  is  presented.  One  of  the  greatnesses  of  the  universe  is  that  of 
kings,  which,  of  course,  includes,  as  stated  in  Chapter  XXVIII,  the 
rulers  of  the  realm  under  whatever  titles  they  may  administer  the  gov- 
ernment. 

Chapter  XXXVI.  The  concluding  two  lines  are  perhaps  the  ofteneat 
quoted  of  all  the  proverbs  of  China.  They  are  of  universal  application, 
not  only  in  China  but  elsewhere. 

Chapter  XLV.  Who  sees  his  great  work  as  incomplete  can  work  on,  by 
his  knowledge  and  reserve  power,  without  decay.  A  man  should  be 
his  own  most  unsparing  critic. 

Chapter  XLV1II.  Who  would  obtain  the  realm  to  govern  it,  must  do  so 
without  intrigue  or  scheming;  if  he  use  intrigue,  by  intrigue  he  will 
be  defeated,  and  rendered  unfit  for  the  government  he  would  estab- 
lish. 

Chapter  LIII.  This  chapter  is  concerned  with  the  difficulties  of  govern- 
ment, on  account  of  the  perversity  of  popular  notions  and  habits.  The 
people  appear  to  prefer  cross-paths  or  by-ways  to  the  plain  and  simple 
ones  of  the  Great  T&o.  The  condition  of  the  country  under  such  per- 
verted rule  is  described;  there  are  splendid  palaces,  and  uncultivated 
fields  and  empty  granaries;  there  is  robber  rule,  which  is  the  reverse 
of  the  T&o;  it  is  these  powerful  drawbacks  which  would  deter  him 
from  assuming  government  off-hand.  Confucius  attempted  a  similar 
task  in  several  instances,  but  lost  his  place  every  time  by  endeavoring 
to  suddenly  institute  reforms.  Compare  this  chapter  with  Chapter 
XXIX;  who  undertakeg  to  ''make  the  realm"  over  is  predestined  tee 
failure. 


["5}: 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


Chapter  LVTI.  The  rule  of  the  empire  can  only  be  obtained,  open  and 
above-board;  intriguing  will  not  avail. 

The  succeeding  parts  of  the  chapter  show  that,  as  prohibitive  laws 
are  multiplied,  poverty  increases;  as  the  people  become  familiar  with 
warlike  appliances,  disorder  increases;  as  artifice  and  cunning  are  fos- 
tered, craftiness  increases  among  the  people,  and  "the  more  laws  the 
more  thieves  there  are." 

Contrasted  with  this  is  the  typical  rule  of  the  sage;  whereby  the 
people  become  transformed,  they  love  uprightness,  they  possess  wealth, 
and  plain-mindedness  and  simplicity  of  life  come  spontaneously. 

These  chapters  on  government  are  the  very  embodiment  of  successful 
administration.  It  is  said  that  the  Chinese  have  no  word  which  exactly 
expresses  "liberty."  Certainly  "to  be  of  their  own  choosing"  (Chapter 
XVII),  "to  act  spontaneously,"  "to  be  in  harmony,"  to  undertake  no 
restriction,  Chapter  LVIII,  "to  be  in  great  agreement,"  etc.,  etc.,  are 
capital  substitutes,  and  are  often  more  definite  and  full  of  meaning  and 
liberty,  even,  than  the  overworked  word  "liberty,"  itself,  which  has 
often  been  kept  as  a  phantom  and  a  snare,  long  after  its  substance  has 
vanished. 

Chapter  LVIII.  This  is  another  of  those  prophetic  chapters  on  the  art 
and  science  of  government,  in  which  the  terse  sentences  fall  like  the 
blows  of  sledge-hammers.  When  the  government  is  one  of  liberality, 
the  people  are  prosperous;  when  it  has  keen  and  prying  eyes,  the  peo- 
ple fall  to  poverty  and  misery.  When  uprightness  itself  is  perverted 
to  appear  as  a  strange  thing,  and  joins  with  wealth  and  class  to  oppress 
the  people,  then  goodness  itself  in  turn  becomes  a  strange  thing,  a 
monstrosity.  The  bewilderment  of  men,  it*  day  of  wrong  has  assuredly 
long  continued,  cries  the  seer. 

The  typical  rule  of  the  sage  is  then  contrasted  with  the  perversion 
of  right,  and  rule  of  wrong.  He  is  square,  angular,  positive,  but  harms 
none,  undertakes  no  restriction,  and  illuminates  without  dazzling. 

Chapter  LIX.  In  this  chapter  are  set  forth  the  virtues  of  moderation,  and 
its  tremendous  power  in  accomplishing  the  greatest  results,  and  in 
making  them  long  enduring,  after  they  have  been  once  achieved.  The 
habit  of  moderation  is  the  self-executing  law  of  success. 

Chapter  LX.  Here  we  have  the  great  plan  of  successful  government  set 
forth.  Rule  a  great  state  in  the  way  one  would  fry  little  fish.  That 
is,  do  not  pick  out  individuals,  but  treat  all  alike.  As  Thomas  Jeffer- 
son has  put  it,  "Equal  rights  for  all,  special  privileges  to  none." 

-[ii6] 


ANALYTICAL   INDEX 


It  is  thia  principle  which  is  emphasized  in  Chapter  III,  the  title  of 
which  is  "Resting  the  People."  The  attempt  to  pick  out  and  reward 
individuals  embitters  and  induces  strife  and  contention;  places  should 
be  filled  as  common  consent  makes  fitness  manifest,  and  as  special 
faculties  become  generally  evident.  Chapter  XIII,  on  Favor  and 
Disgrace,  illustrates  the  same  principle,  wherein  dependence  on  favor 
is  contrasted  with  personal  honor,  worth,  independence  and  the  ability 
to  do  one's  duty  and  bear  the  consequences. 

Chapter  LXI.  A  great  state  is  one  that  flows  downward,  not  one  that 
exalts  itself;  it  is  compared  to  a  great  valley  river,  to  which  all  adja- 
cent streams  are  tributaries,  and  become  finally  united  with  it,  like  a 
wife.  This  chapter  is  a  lesson  in  the  principles  of  national  expansion. 
It  is  self-explanatory  and  self-convincing.  It  is  fellowship,  as  contrasted 
with   conquest. 

Chapter  LXV.  In  government  the  very  hardest  thing  is  the  overweening 
sapience  of  the  people.  Frederick  the  Great  once  said  that  if  he 
wanted  to  lose  a  state  he  would  put  a  philosopher  at  the  head  of  it. 
These  philosophers,  however,  were  the  theorizers,  the  over-sapient,  the 
closet-statesmen,  men  who  would  stake  an  empire's  existence  on  the 
test  of  an  untried  theory;  these  are  the  men  against  whom  L&o  directs 
his  Chapter  XXIX;  "spiritual  vessels  are  not  made."  China,  in  his 
day,  was  full  of  these  speculative  idealists  and  enthusiasts,  as  the  whole 
world  is  to-day.  There  are  certain  true,  well-established  principles  of 
government,  which  must  be  studied  in  the  light  of  experience;  changes 
must  be  gradual  and  well-studied;  the  principal  evils  in  government 
are  the  results  of  overcomplexity,  and  lack  of  farsightedness,  and  these 
we  largely  due  to  the  lack  of  what  Tennyson  prayed  for, 
"One   still  strong  man  in  a  blatant  land." 

Chapter  LXXII.  Do  not  render  the  people  dissatisfied  with  their  condition; 
do  not  depreciate  the  life  they  lead;  dislike  in  great  things  is  bred  of 
dislike  in  small.  Do  not  make  discouraging  self-displays;  keep  per- 
sonal worth  and  self-esteem  as  private  matters.  Let  the  government 
be  simple  and  liberal.  In  the  language  of  Chapter  XXXVI,  "Keep  the 
sharp  tools  of  the  state  from  sight  of  the  people." 

Chapter  LXXIV.  By  constant  fear  of  death,  the  people  cease  to  fear  it; 
by  making  its  infliction  a  matter  of  mere  impulse  or  caprice  on  the 
part  of  a  ruler,  a  general  recklessness  of  life  is  produced.  The  only 
security  is  to  adhere  to  prescribed  forms,  and  justly  and  impartially 
execute  the  laws;  without  this  the  people  will  be  rendered  uncon- 
trollable, and  the  ruler  finally  will  only  injure  himself.     The  condition 

-[117]  ■■„ 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


of  China,  at  the  timie  these  word*  were  written,  (B.  C.  500),  was  a 
vast  living  exemplar  of  their  truth,  and  history  has  frequently  repeated 
itself  since  then. 

Chapter  LXXV.  This  ia  another  of  those  powerful  chapters  on  govern- 
ment, and  which  are  as  applicable  to  our  own  time  and  country  as  to 
ancient  China.  The  ruling  class,  or  those  above,  acted  with  selfishness 
•nd   injuitice. 

"The  starvation  of  the  people  comes  from  those  above  consuming 
too  much  in  taxes;  therefore  the  people  starve." 

"The  difficulty  in  the  governing  of  the  people  comes  from  those 
above  making  too  much  ado;  therefore  the  people  are  difficult  to 
govern." 

Chapter  LXXVIII.  This  remarkable  chapter  has  been  a  source  of  wonder 
to  all  the  translators;  they  have  endeavored  to  trace  back  the  exam- 
ples to  some  old  rulers  of  antiquity,  but  it  is  unnecessary,  it  is  pre- 
cisely the  result  of  the  principle  enunciated  in  the  concluding  part  of 
Chapter  XIII,  and  is  in  accordance  with  all  of  LAo's  philosophy. 

"Shall  be  called  the  King  of  the  World."  This  has  sometimes  been 
translated  as  the  Emperor  of  China;  this  is  totally  unwarranted;  the 
title  of  the  Emperor  is  correctly  given  in  Chapter  LXII,  as  Tien  Tsz', 
•the  Son  of  Heaven.  In  the  present  chapter  the  term  is  King  of  all 
under  heaven.  It  is  purposely  made  general,  as  it  has  been  in  the 
grand  old  hymn  Coronation,   (where  it  is  similarly  applied), 

"And  crown  Him  Lord  of  all." 
It  is  not  a  mere  literal  statement  of  an  incident;  it  is  the  great  out- 
working of  the  Way  of  Heaven,  and  is  prophetic  and  of  universal  ap- 
plication, for  all  times  and  all  peoples. 

Chapter  LXXX.  This  almost  concluding  chapter  of  the  book  will  remind 
the  reader  irresistably  of  Beranger's  "King  of  Yvetot,"  the  "Cotton 
night-cap  King." 

It  is  a  half -philosophical,  half-humorous  description  of  a  sort  of 
Utopia,  and  is  used  to  illustrate,  as  a  sort  of  allegory,  some  of  the 
teachings  of  the  previous  chapters.  It  is  capital  in  its  way,  and  in  the 
original  is  full  of  quaint  humor  and  good  sense.  It  is  the  picture  of 
a  little  community  which  minds  its  own  business,  in  the  midst  of  great 
surrounding  states,  and,  once  in  a  while,  in  history,  one  comes  across 
such  an  isolated  community,  and  we  feel  the  exhilaration,  as  it  were, 
of  a  fresh  breeze.  It  pictures  the  survival  of  a  pure  and  patriarchal 
age,  and  must  be  understood  as  a  picture,  like  that  of  Chapter  LIII, 
sketched  with  a  free  hand  for  striking  effect. 

•[n8]--  • 


ANALYTICAL  INDEX 


OOD. 

Chapter  IV.  The  Ancestor  of  All.  It  is  impossible  to  determine  whether 
the  T&o  was  antecedent  to  God,  or  God  antecedent  to  the  T&o.  Tha 
word  Ti  (God)  is  only  used  once  in  this  work,  which  is  in  this  chapter; 
these  two  are,  in  fact,  indeterminate  aspects  of  the  same  entity,  tha 
one  as  will  or  action,  the  other  as  consciousness  or  spirit. 

Chapter  XLII.    "The  T&o  produced  One." 

Chapter  III.  The  first  part  of  this  chapter  is  a.  warning  against  poly- 
theism. The  Mother  of  the  World  came  to  be,  as  the  embodiment  of 
the  Nameless,  which,  in  Chapter  I,  is  declared  to  be  one  and  the  same 
with  the  Named,  its  manifestation,  which  is  the  Motherhood.  This 
Motherhood  produces  all  things,  which  are  thus,  comprehensively,  her 
offspring.  If  one  knows  things  as  mere  productions  of  the  mother,  and 
is  not  beguiled  from  the  mother  by  devotion  to  her  creatures,  then 
when  his  body  dies,  (that  is,  when  his  physical  life  ends),  he  will  still 
be  safe,  which  is  a  Chinese  form  of  saying,  he  will  be  safe  in  the 
after-life,  or  in  eternal  life. 

Chapter  LXII.  Under  the  guise  of  the  T&o,  in  this  chapter,  will  be  found 
a  most  perfect  picture  of  the  highest  type  of  religion.  T&o  is  the 
hidden  refuge;  its  beautiful  words  buy  great  things;  the  sin-bound 
escape. 

GREED. 

Chapter  IX.    Overfilling,  wealth  and  place  when  linked  with  pride,  brings 

on  ruin. 
Chapter  XLIV.    Hoarding  to  excess  bring*  ruin.    Who  knows  he  has  enough, 

never  knows  disgrace. 
Chapter  XLVI.    No  calamity  greater  than  grasping  to  possess. 
Chapter  L.    The  greed  of  life;  this  leads  to  death  by  the  very  striving  for 

life  and  its  fulness. 
Chapter  LIII.    The  results,  in  a  nation,  of  universal  greed   are  depicted 

vividly  in  this  chapter. 
Chapter  LXVII.    To  discard  compassion,  and  economy,  end  strive  to  be 

in  front,  is  death. 
Chapter  LXXV.    The  Greed  of  Life  causes  men  to  make  light  of  death. 
Chapter  LXXIX.    He  without  virtue  only  cites  the  claims  of  his  own  side; 

the  virtuous  man  recites  the  whole  agreement. 
HEAVEN  AND  EARTH. 

Chapter  I.    The  ineffable  brought  forth  Heaven  and  Earth.     These  terms 

are  not  used  in  a  theological,  but  in  a  cosmical  sense.     Heaven  and 

Earth    (the  nameable  or  definable)   became,    through    the    T&o,    the 


rn9] 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


Mother  of  all  things.    The  Nameless  and  the  Named  are  in  reality  dif- 
ferent phases  of  the  same  entity. 

Chapter  V.  Their  ways  are  not  benevolent;"  they  are  equitable  and  ju»t, 
but  without  favoritism  or  preference.    (See  Chapter  LXXIX.) 

Chapter  VII.  They  continue  on  ceaselessly  because  they  do  not  live  for 
themselves. 

Chapter  XXXII.  "Heaven  and  earth  sweet  dews  would  bring,"  if  rulers 
would  only  conform  to  the  T&o,  and  the  people  would  know  no  rula 
but  harmony. 

In  Chapter  V  heaven  and  earth  are  compared  to  a  bellows,  which, 
when  apparently  inactive,  collapses  not,  but  is  exhaustless,  and  ever 
ready  to  act  when  occasion  requires.  Babblers,  on  the  contrary,  ex- 
haust themselves  to  no  purpose.  In  this  they  do  not  conform  to  the 
principles  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  so  have  no  safety.  So,  in  Chapter 
XXIII,  the  lesson  is  repeated,  that  heaven  and  earth,  even,  are  not 
able  to  continue  in  stress  and  storm,  and  much  less  can  man  do  so. 
HEAVEN'S  WAY. 

This  is  used  in  the  sense  of  manner  of  doing,  not  in  the  sense  of  way  or 
road.  These  are  very  powerful  chapters,  which  describe  "the  Way  of 
Heaven." 

Chapter  IX.  When  work  is  done  and  reputation  is  advancing,  to  then 
retire  is  Heaven's  Way. 

Chapter  XVI.  The  T&o,  when  followed  by  men,  results  in  the  heaven-like, 
and  eternal. 

Chapter  XLV.  In  purity  and  clearness  is  the  type  of  all  under  heaven 
made  manifest. 

Chapter  LV.  In  the  last  part  of  this  chapter  the  opposite  of  Heaven's 
Way  is  depicted,  and  the  result.  So  also  is  the  third  part  of  Chapter 
LXXV. 

Chapter  LXVII1.  "This  is  called  the  fellowship  with  Heaven,  the  perfect 
fellowship  the  ancients  followed."  It  is  here  applied  to  great  leaders 
of  men. 

Chapter  LXXI1L  This  is  the  old,  old  question,  discussed  from  the  birth 
of  man,  of  moral  responsibility,  of  right  and  wrong,  and  of  retribution; 
"  'Tis  hard  even  for  a  sage  to  tell." 

But,  in  the  second  portion  of  the  chapter  the  answer  is  given  on  a 
broad  and  philosophical  basis.  Taking  Heaven's  Way  as  a  study,  we 
find  that  there  is  no-  striving,  and  yet  it  conquers;  it  is  silent,  and  yet 
it  answer^,;   uncalled  for,   it  obeys;   it  is  slow,  yet  its  devices  are  per- 

=  ^[120]=,       ============================== 


ANALYTICAL   INDEX 


fee*.    The  character  rendered  "slowness"  has  the  sense  of  slowness, 
patience,  deliberateness. 

The  chapter  concludes  with  the  lines  which  recall  the  elassical 
couplet, 

"The  mills  of  the  gods  grind  slowly, 
But  they  grind  exceeding  small." 

Chapter  LXXVII.  This  beautiful  chapter  on  the  Way  of  Heaven,  as  con- 
trasted with  the  selfishess  of  man,  is  almost  unrivalled.  This  is  par- 
ticularly so  in  the  third  portion,  wherein  it  is  asserted  that  even  the 
wealthy  are  unfit  to  dispense  their  wealth  in  charity,  unless  they  them- 
selves possess  the  Tao,  the  Way  of  Heaven.  Comparing  this  part  with 
the  preceding  portions  of  the  chapter,  and  with  the  previous  chapter! 
on  Benevolence,  etc.,  the  reason  will  be  at  once  seen;  those  who  have 
spent  the  greater  part  of  their  lives  in  taking  from  the  people  in  order 
to  secure  wealth  for  themselves,  are  unfit  to  redistribute  that  wealth, 
or  even  a  small  part  of  it,  under  the  guise  of  benevolence,  or  love  for 
their  fellow-men,  which  is  often  Dut  a  pretense  lur  self-display  and  self- 
ishness. It  is,  says  Lao  Tsze,  worse  than  the  generosity  of  the  highway- 
man, like  Claude  Duval,  or  John  Murrell,  who  robbed  the  rich,  to  scatter 
their  wealth  among  the  poor.  Such  benevolence,  in  these  cases,  pre- 
supposes a  long  prior  career  of  injustice,  selfishness,  and  robbery,  in 
order  to  acquire  the  superabundance  now  to  be  doled  out  in  small 
portions,  as  conscience  money,  at  the  will  of  the  holder,  who  has  been 
trained  only  in  this  bad  school,  and  after  the  keen  gratification  of  gain 
has  palled  on  the  appetite.  In  Chapter  XLIV,  it  is  asked,  "Is  your  loss 
or  gain  the  more  grievous?"  Who  knows?  In  the  New  Testament 
another  has  said,  "Ye  cannot  serve  both  God  and  Mammon;"  as  Lao 
puts  it,  "Ye  cannot  serve  both  your  fellow-men  and  Mammon." 

The  chapter  concludes  with  the  contrast  of  the  Sage's  way,  (which 
is  Heaven's  Way),  with  the  way  of  selfishness,  which  is  men's  way. 
(See  Chapters  II,  IX,  and  XXIII.) 

Chapter  LXXIX.  The  Tao  of  Heaven  knows  no  favoritism,  but  always 
interpovses  for  the  good;  that  is,  for  those  who  do  not  assert  merely 
their  own  claims,  but  adhere  to  the  whole  bond  and  agreement,  botb 
between  man  and  man,  and  man  and  God. 

KNOWLEDGE. 

There  is  an  opinion  prevalent  that  Lao  Tsze  was  opposed  to  knowledge, 
and  also  that  he  was  opposed  to  doing  or  working.  Nothing  could  be 
more  erroneous,  and  such  errors  were  entirely  due  to  the  earlier  and 
defective  translations,  often  made  under  bias. 


[121] 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


Chapter  XXXII.    This  will  recall  the  teaching  of  Socrates,  who  lived  more 

than  a  century  later,  "Know  thyself." 
Chapter  XL VII.    Without  going  beyond  his  doorway,  or  peeping  out  of 
his  window,  one  may  know  all  under  heaven;  the  farther  one  goes  from 
home,    the   more   distant   becomes  Knowledge.     The   great   factors   of 
knowledge  are  quietude,  humility  and  receptivity.     (See  Chapter  XVI.) 
Chapter  XLVIII.    The  acquisition  of  "learning,"  and  the  knowledge  de- 
rived from  following  the  Tao  are  here  contrasted. 
Chapter  LII.    This  deals  with  the  higher  knowledge,  which  leads  to  the 
eternal.     The  beautiful  idea,  which  is  true,  that  to  "keep  what  is  ten- 
der is  strength,"  recalls  the  lines  of  Bayard  Taylor— 
"The   bravest  are  the   tenderest, 
The  loving  are  the  daring." 
Chapter  LXIII.    This  is  a  chapter  on  forethought  in  business.    It  is  full  of 
shrewdness  and  knowledge;   of  caution  and  foresight;   of  acting  with 
decision,  but  of  making  no  mistakes  by  underrating  the  task.     It  con- 
tains one  of  the  statements  of  the  Golden  Rule,  "And  recompense  hatred 
with  deeds  of  goodness."     This  "goodness"  is  not  mere  sentimentality, 
but  active  goodness,  as  in  Chapter  XLIX;  virtue,  (that  is,  the  virtue  of 
the  sage,  which  ia  the  virtue  of  the  Tao,  which  in  turn  is  the  operation 
and  manifestation  of  the  Tao),  is  "goodness."     The  statement  of  the 
rule  is  here  applied  to  business  in  its  broadest  sense.    It  would  doubt- 
less seem  amusing  to  have  it  quoted  in  a  modern  "business  assemblage" 
as  a  part  of  their  ordinary  rules  of  practice,  where  the  motto  is,  "Do 
others,  lest  they  also  do  you."    But  the  correct  rule  is  nowhere  of  such 
commanding  importance  as  just  here,  in  practical,  give-and-take  business. 
Professor  Giles,  in  his  recent  History  of  Chinese  Literature,  translates 
a  story  of  the  "Country  of  Gentlemen,"  where  the  results  of  such  a  law 
prevailing  universally  in  business  is  most  amusingly  depicted.    A  careful 
reading  of  this  chapter  alone  will  convince  anyone  that  the  notion  that 
Lao  Tsze   taught   idleness   and   ignorance   is  totally   unwarranted;    as 
indeed  the  whole  Tao  Teh  conclusively  proves. 
Chapter  LXIV.    "The  sage  learns  what  others  do  not  learn,  he  turns  back 
to  their  leavings."     Says  R.  W.  Emerson,  in  one  of  his  profound  and 
delightful  poems, 

"Knowledge  this  man  prizes  best 
Seems  fantastic  to  the  rest; 
Sure  some  god  his  eye  enchants, 
What  he  knows  nobody  wants." 
Chapter  LXXI.    "To  know  the  not-known  is  high;  not  to  know  the  known 
is  sickness."    It  is  not,  as  some  translators  have  made  it,  to  know  the 

=====  -[122] -  = 


ANALYTICAL  INDEX 


not-knowable  but  that  which  may  be  known  but,  by  neglect,  is  not. 
By  being  sick  of  this  sickness  of  ignorance  one  dispels  the  sickness,  by 
acquiring  genuine  knowledge,  which  is  mental  and  spiritual  health.  The 
T&o  is  the  true  source  of  this  knowledge.  (See  Chapter  XLVIII.) 
L&o  believed  most  fully  in  inspiration. 

Chapter  LXXXI.  This  is  a  rough  summing  up  of  the  philosophical  prin- 
ciples of  the  T&o  Teh  as  applied  to  men,  in  their  dealings  with  each 
.other. 

"The  knowing  are  not  most  learned, 
The  most  learned  do  not  know." 
NON-STRIVING. 

Chapter  II.    The  sage  follows  the  order  of  nature. 

Chapter  III.    By  quiet  work  the  greatest  results  are  achieved. 

Chapter  VIII.  Water  is  used  as  a  type  of  what  conquers  by  non-itriving; 
its  lesson  i3  applied  to  men. 

Chapter  XXIX.  The  fate  of  selfish  ambition  is  here  portrayed;  there  need 
be  no  lack  of  examples,  when  one  reads  this  chapter.  It  is  not  only  a 
lesson  for  those  who  seek  to  change  a  people's  condition  and  destiny 
by  force,  but  for  those  reformers  who  believe  that  they  too  can  take  the 
world  in  hand  and  make  it  over  again  at  once.  Not  so  the  sage,  as  the 
concluding  lines  show;  he  endeavors  to  work  in  silence,  and  teach  by 
example. 

Chapter  XXXVI.  The  curious  contrasts  in  the  first  portion  of  this  chapter 
are  exactly  in  accord  with,  fact,  but  how  many  have  observed  it?  The 
tender  and  weak  overcoming  the  strong  is  an  essential  element  of  Lao's 
teaching.     It  frequently  recurs  in  succeeding  chapters. 

Chapter  XLIII.  A  comparison  with  water.  The  advantages  of  non-acting, 
and  of  silent  teaching  are  described. 

Chapter  LIT.  The  doctrines  of  purity  and  quietude  are  here  emphasized; 
to  keep  the  mouth  closed  is  safety,  to  keep  it  open  and  ignorantly 
meddle  with  affairs  is  danger,  not  only  here,  but  for  the  future  life. 

Chapter  LV.  In  the  last  portion'  is  to  be  found  the  striving,  which  is  con- 
trary to  the  T&o,  the  "fulness  of  life,"  which,  as  being  out  of  harmony 
with  the  order  of  the  universe,  will  come  to  a  rapid  and  unhealthy 
maturity,  and  then  suddenly  plunge  down  to  decay.  The  saying  of  the 
New  Testament  will  be  recalled,  "They  who  take  up  the  sword  shall 
perish  by  the  sword."  The  lesson  is  repeated  more  fully  in  the  third 
portion  of  Chapter  LXXV. 

Chapter  LXIII.  Perhaps  no  chapter  of  the  whole  eighty-one  will  give  a 
better  idea  of  what  L&o  Tsze  actually  taught  regarding  work  and 
knowledge,  than  this.     His  lessons  are  moderation,  foresight,  working 

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THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


without  display,  consideration  of  things  from  their  beginning,  avoidance 
of  precipitancy,  and  leaving  out  the  baser  personal  elements,  such  u 
recompensing  evil  with  evil;  then,  with  patience  and  humility,  more 
can  be  accomplished  than  can  be  accomplished  without  it  by  the  utmoit 
possible  "striving." 

Chapter  LXVL  "And  since  he  does  not  strive,  no  strife  with  him  ever 
appear?."  This  chapter  applies  to  the  individual  the  lesson  of  Chapter 
LXI,  in  which  it  is  applied  to  the  state. 

Chapter  LXVIII.  "The  virtue  known  as  striving-not."  It  is  here  illus- 
trated, in  its  power  of  accomplishment,  by  military,  civil  and  industrial 
examples. 

Chapter  LXXIII.    "Not  to  strive  is  Heaven's  Way,  and  yet  it  conquers; 
silent,  ifc  answers;  uncalled,  it  obeys;  its  perfect  plans  hide  in  slowness, 
"The  net  of  Heaven  has  meshes  wide, 
But  through  its  meshes  none  can  glide." 

Chapter  LXXV.  They  seek  life's  fulness,  and  make  light  of  death.  Thereby 
thev   die  suddenly. 

Chapter  LXXVI. 

"The  conqueror  fails  who  relies  on  his  strength." 

Chapter  LXXVIII.  Nothing,  for  attacking  the  hard  and  the  strong,  ean 
take  the  place  of  water.  But  who  can  carry  this  principle  out  in 
practice? 

Chapter  LXXXI.    Striving  breaks  whatever  it  makes. 

"  'Tis  the  way  of  the  sage  to  act, 
He  acts,  but  never  strives." 

PERSON  OR  BODY. 

Chapter  XIH.  In  this  beautiful  chapter  the  distinction  between  honor  and 
great  sacrifice  (which  are  practically  correct  renderings  of  the  original, 
in  sense  and  contrast),  as  pertaining  to  one's  own  body,  and  favor  and 
disgrace,  as  dependent  on  others,  is  made  the  basis,  in  the  concluding 
portion,  of  examples  in  which  these  qualities  are  applied  to  the  highest 
purposes.     (See  below.) 

Chapter  XLIV.  Which  is  nearer  you,  your  name  or  your  body?  Your 
person  or  your  pelf?  Sacrifice,  that  is,  loss,  waste,  expenditure,  must 
pay  for  excessive  love.  This  connection  of  love  with  sacrifice  is  found 
practically  applied  in  the  last  portions  of  the  preceding  chapter,  above 
referred  to,  and  beautifully  explains  its  meaning.  Some  translators 
have  imagined  the  concluding  four  lines  of  Chapter  XIII  to  be  a  mere 
repetition  of  the  preceding  four,  and  have  hence  omitted  them,  thereby 
losing  the  whole  force  of  the  transcendently  powerful  lesson,  which  is 
precisely  that  of  the  concluding  portion  of  Chapter  LXXVIII;   "Who 

'  — [  T24  ] " 


ANALYTICAL  INDEX 


carries  his  country's  woes,  who  bears  the  curie  of  the  land,  shall  bs 
called  the  King  of  the  World."  In  Chapter  XIII  the  one  who,  holding 
honor  as  his  own  person,  takes  control  of  the  empire,  may  be  safely 
employed  to  rule  it;  but  the  one  who  holds  love  as  his  own  person,  with 
its  consequent  self-sacrifice,  may  be  entrusted  with  the  empire  abao> 
lutely.  The  words  "honor"  and  "being  used"  are  contrasted  with 
"love"  and  "being  entrusted." 

Chapter  III.    "Though  his  body  die,  has  immunity." 

Chapter  LXXVIII. 

"Who  bears  the  sins  of  his  country." 
"Who  carries  his  country's  woes, 
The  curse  of  the  land  who  bears, 
He  shall  be  called  the  King  of  the  World." 
The  Chinese  carefully  kept  the  distinction  between  one's  own  per- 
sonality, his  individuality,  his  character,  or  self,  or  body,  and  those 
accidents  of  good  or  bad  fortune  which  come  from  without.    This  has 
always  been  a  determining  factor  with  the  whole  race  and  has  been  a 
basic  element  of  their  stability,  business  and  personal  honesty,  and  res- 
ignation to  the  inevitable.     They  cannot  command  good  fortune,  but 
they  can  deserve  it. 

The  references  to  body  or  person,  as  tnus  distinguished  from  acci- 
dent or  environment,  are  too  numerous  to  cite,  but  they  will  be  found 
running  through  more  than  half  of  the  chapters,  and  nearly  all  of  those 
marked  "ethical,"  in  the  Table  of  Contents. 
RIGHTEOUSNESS  AND  BENEVOLENCE. 

Chapter  XVIII.  These  so-called  "virtues,"  which  Lao  condemned  m  arti- 
ficial and  selfish,  were  not  the  "virtues  of  the  T&o,"  but  their  men-made 
substitutes,  and  were  affectations  and  pretenses.  In  the  latter  part  of 
this  chapter  he  shows,  by  a  sarcastic  illustration,  how  impossible  it 
must  be  for  true  benevolence  and  righteousness  to  appear  as  logical 
sequences  of  selfishness  and  corruption.  As  Mark  Twain  once  said  of 
certain  vices,  in  the  Pacific  Islands,  after  the  introduction  of  the 
missionaries,  "They  only  existed  in  reality  and  not  in  appearance." 
In  the  next  chapter,  XIX,  Lao  points  out  the  return  track  over  which 
mankind  must  pass,  to  again  get  into  touch  with  the  genuine,  and  give 
scope  to  the  true  virtues  which  are  the  inherent  operations  and  mani- 
festations of  the  Tao  itself.  In  Chapter  XX  is  a  magnificent  picture 
of  a  people  plunged  into  recklessness  and  wastefulness  of  the  true,  but 
at  the  height  of  its  material  prosperity;  the  la>t  line  reversing  the  point 
of  view  of  the  whole  picture  and  presenting  tae  truth  in  contrast  with 


[125]- 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


the  sham,  and  th»  overwhelming  importance  of  following  the  dirine 
leadership. 

SIMPLICITY. 

Thig  the  the  "simplicity"  of  St.  Paul,  who  speak*  of  "the  simplicity 
that  ia  in  Christ;"  and  of  Tennyson,  who  writes, 
"And,  as  the  greatest  only  are, 
In  his  simplicity  sublime." 
Chapter   XXVIII.    This   splendid   chapter   opens  with  the    glory    of    the 
"eternal  womanhood,"  of  Goethe;  then  turns  to  its  example  of  majestie 
humility  and  self-abnegation,  and  concludes  with  the  methods  by  which 
the  Tao  operates  in  producing  the  "vessels  of  the  universe,"  which, 
among  the  Chinese,  are  typical  of  those  who  are  called  to  illuminate 
and  control  the  destinies  of  men.    The  chapter  is  literally  rendered. 
Chapter  LXIII.    The  simplicity  of  a   true  business  life  is  here  depicted, 
and   the  means  by  which  success  can  be  obtained,  and   a  warning  is 
given  against  the  dangers  to  be  avoided  from  carelessness  and  neglect. 
Chapter  LXX.    The  teachings  of  Lao  are  easily  known  and  easy  to  prac- 
tise, but  few  know  them  and  few  practise  them.    It  reminds  one  of 
Hegel's  saying,  when  on  his  death-bed,  "I  shall  leave  behind  me  in  all 
Europe  but  one  man  who  understands  my  philosophy,  and  he  doesn't." 
We  are  gradually  coming,  however,   to  understand  the  philosophy 
of  the  Tao  Teh. 

THE  SAGE. 

Chapter  V.  The  Chinese  characters  rendered  as  Sage,  are  Shing  jin  (shang 
jan).    Jan  signifies  a  man. 

Shang  is  defined  by  Medhurst  as  intelligent,  possessing  intuitive 
knowledge,  and  thorough  perspicacity.  Shing  jin;  a  sage,  a  perfeat 
man,  one  great  in  himself  and  capable  of  renovating  others;  super- 
eminently  wise  and  good;  one  who  on  hearing  a  mere  sound  knows  in- 
stantly the  merits  of  the  whole  case.  It  is  compounded  of  three  radi- 
cals, the  ear,  the  mouth,  or  an  entrance,  and  great,  eloquent  scholar; 
one  who  instantly  hears  and  understands  what  enters  from  beyond,  and 
speaks,  as  a  great  scholar,  its  lessons.  In  Chapter  XV  these  ancient 
sages  are  depicted  as  they  were,  in  their  studies  and  investigations. 

Chapter  XII.  He  is  unselfish;  is  not  misled  by  desires;  avoids  the  snares 
of  the  mind. 

Chapter  XXVI.  The  conduct  of  the  sage  in  his  daily  life  is  here  por- 
trayed; he  is  not  carried  away  with  enthusiasm,  bat  considers  all  with 
serenity  and  caution.     (See  Chapter  XLIX). 

•  =[  126]  -._ 


ANALYTICAL  INDEX 


Chapter  XXVII.  The  conduct  of  the  sage  is  here  compared  with  that  o£ 
ekilled  workmen,  who  make  no  waste,  and  in  quiet,  accomplish  the 
greatest  results. 

By  a  splendid  application  he  now  turns  to  the  interdependence  of 
all  mankind,  and  shows  that  the  more  skilled,  in  goodness,  are  the 
natural  instructors  of  the  not  good,  (which,  pu  shan,  means  the  bad), 
ini  goodness,  and  that,  when  pursuing  this  course,  it  would  be  an  extra- 
ordinary and  incomprehensible  thing  if  those  who  are  being  led  upward 
insensibly  should  not  love  their  instructors.,  and  the  instructors,  them- 
selves, should  not  prize  the  material  on  which  they  work.  The  source 
of  this  mutual  help  and  love  is  to  be  found  in  the  miao,  the  "divine" 
of  Chapter  Ia  and  this  is  the  universal  spirit  which,  when  not  driven 
away  or  perverted  by  selfishness  and  strife,  naturally  fills  all  men,  and 
so  makes  the  spirit  manifestation  in  these  modes  natural  and  inevitable. 
It  is  the  inworking  of  the  universal  T&o,  in  its  passage  from  the  Name- 
less to  the  Named. 

Chapter  XXIX.  The  sage  takes  no  part  in  attempts  to  violently  revolu- 
tionize a  people  by  external  force;  he  depends  on  moderation  and  ex- 
ample. 

Chapter  XXXIV.  The  sage  acts  in  a  manner  imperceptible  to,  and  with- 
out the  knowledge  of,  those  acted  on,  like  the  Tao. 

Chapter  XLIII.  Silent  teaching;  passive  doing;  their  advantages,  com- 
parison with  water,  and  with  immaterial  or  spiritual  agencies. 

Chapter  XLIX.  In  this  chapter  is  broadly  stated  the  substance  of  the 
"Golden  Rule,"  for  the  first  time.  "To  those  who  are  good  I  will  be 
good;  to  those  who  are  bad,  (pu  shan),  I  will  be  good  also.  Virtue  is 
goodness.  Those  who  are  faithful  I  will  meet  with  faith;  those  who 
are  faithless,  (pu  sin),  I  will  also  meet  with  faith.  Virtue  is  faithful- 
ness." 

"Virtue"  here  is  the  T&o-virtue,  and  the  sage's  conduct  is  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  great  basic  principle  of  virtue,  and  not  with  that 
of  the  "lex  talionis."  So,  in  Chapter  LXXIX,  the  sage  holds  only  to 
the  obligations  which  bind  him,  in  his  agreements,  leaving  the  others 

uncontrolled;  and  in  Chapter  LXIII,  the  rule  is  again  directly  stated, 
"Recompense  hatred  with  deeds  of  goodness."  It  was  the  announce 
ment  of  this  dominating  principle  of  life,  by  La.o  Tsze,  to  Confuciua, 
which  astonished  the  latter,  who  said  to  his  disciples,  "If  you  recom- 
pense evil  with  good,  with  what  then  will  you  recompense  good?  Re- 
compense good  with  good,  and  evil  with  justice." 


[»7]' 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


This  will  clearly  show  the  fundamental  and  vital  difference,  or  op- 
position, between  the  teachings  of  Lao  and  those  of  Confucius.  Con- 
fucius dealt  with  temporary  and  earthly  things,  and  Lao  with  the  great 
truths  of  eternity. 

The  people  turn  their  eyes  and  ears  to  the  sage,  and  are  to  him  his 
children,  irrespective  of  age  or  condition,  says  Lao,  in  closing  thif 
chapter. 

Chapter  LXIII.  "So  the  sage,  not  acting  the  great,  the  great  will  accom- 
plish." 

Chapter  LXX.  The  sage  himself,  Lao  Tsze,  speaks  here  in  his  own  per- 
»on.  He  has  few  followers,  few  who  understand  his  high  doctrine*  of 
purity,  goodness  and  simplicity,  but 

"Though  the  sage  may  wear  a  haircloth  garb, 
The  gem  in  his  bosom  lies." 

Chapter  LXX1I.  The  sage  makes  no  self  display;  he  loves  his  own  body, 
but  puts  aside  self-esteem.  In  this  way  he  sets  an  example  which,  when 
followed  by  others,  will  ameliorate  the  people's  condition,  prevent  dis- 
turbing comparisons  and  depreciation  of  their  lives,  and  discontent 
with  their  personal  conditions. 
•PIRIT. 

Chapter  I.  Spirit,  in  its  general  expression,  in  this  chapter,  is  miao,  the 
spiritual  entity,  or  spirituality,  in  its  comprehensive  and  pervading 
sense;  it  is  the  divine,  which  exists  in  all,  and  in  which  all  exist. 

Chapter  X.  Here  the  animal  soul  is  contrasted  with  the  spiritual  soul, 
as  has  been  constantly  done  in  all  times  and  ages.  The  simile  of  the 
animal,  or  natural,  soul  to  a  camp  of  undisciplined  soldiers  is  familiar 
to  all.  Here,  by  embracing  the  unity,  the  Tao,  the  great  source  and 
controller  of  order,  disintegration  is  prevented,  harmony  is  secured, 
and  universal  equity  restored. 

Chapter  XLII.  Here  we  have  the  inter-acting  spirit  between  the  shifting 
elements  of  all  change  and  development,  throughout  the  whole  universe. 
This  is  called  the  immaterial  breath,  or  spirit. 

Chapter  LV.  "They  call  the  heart-directed  spirit  strength."  This  is  the 
limited  animal  soul,  the  soul  inherited  from  animal  progenitors,  which 
has  its  seat,  with  the  passions,  in  the  heart,  and  not  that  derived  from 
the  universal  Tao;  the  former  leads  to  excess  and  ruin,  the  latter  to 
moderation  and  permanent  success. 

Chapter  LX.  Here  we  have  directly  stated  the  influence  of  the  spirits  of 
the  dead  in  the  affairs  of  men.  These  are  the  kwei;  contrasted  with 
these  are  the  ehan,  which  are  spirit-individualities  generally,  acting  to 


ANALYTICAL  INDEX 


modify  and  control.  In  Chapter  XLII  the  inter-acting  spirit  between 
the  yang  and  the  yin  is  neither  kwei,  nor  shan,  but  chung  chi,  or  im- 
material breath,  or  empty,  harmonious  spirit.  It  is  the  unconscious,  or 
sub-conscious,  in-worker.  In  Chapter  XXXIX  the  spirits  which  of  old 
attained  to  the  unity,  are  shan;  in  Chapter  I  the  great  spirit-power  or 
spirituality  is  miao.  In  Chapter  X  the  animal  soul  is  poh,  but  '"the 
breath"  in  "guarding  the  breath"  is  chi,  as  in  Chapter  XLII,  but  with- 
out the  qualifying  adjective  ehung.  It  is  used  in  the  same  sense  as 
the  "breath  of  Aleim  moved  (or  brooded)  on  the  face  of  the  waters," 
in  the  opening  chapters  of  Genesis.  These  characters  may  be  used 
either  as  nouns  or  verbs,  according  to  their  position.  In  Chapter  LX, 
the  kwei  will  not  shan;  not  only  the  kwei  not  shan,  but  the  shan  not 
injure  the  people.  Under  the  broad  and  benign  rule  of  the  sage,  which 
injures  none,  the  spirits  will  act  in  harmony  with  him,  and  unite  in 
the  good  deeds  of  Tao. 
Chapter  XXXVII.  If  this  chapter  be  carefully  looked  into,  for  its  mean- 
ing is  by  no  means  clear  from  a  cursory  reading,  it  will  attract  pro- 
found attention.  The  earlier  portions  of  the  chapter  deal  with  the 
skill  acquired  by  those  proficient  in  certain  arts  in  dealing  with  phys- 
ical problems  of  a  different  character;  from  this  the  author  turns  to 
the  work  of  the  sage,  and  describes  him  as,  similarly,  a  conservator  of 
men  and  of  things,  thus  being,  in  goodness  a  "saver  of  men,"  and  in 
business  "a  saver  of  things."  This,  he  declares,  Is  due  to  his  inner 
enlightenment.  From  this,  by  a  bold  flight  of  generalization,  he  turns 
to  all  mankind,  and  sees  that  they  fall  into  great  classes  of  good  and 
not-good.  The  good  tend  to  act  upon,  and  instruct  and  elevate  the 
not-good,  or  the  bad,  while  the  not>good  are  the  material  to  be  made 
good  or  saved  by  the  good.  He  finds  that,  when  done  by  example  and 
fellowship,  and  not  by  arrogance,  and  dogmatism,  the  not-good  are 
grateful  for  this,  and  honor  and  prize  their  instructors,  while,  in  turn, 
the  good  acquire  a  love  for  the  material  on  which  they  work.  This 
result  is  so  universal  that  to  find  a  single  exception  would  confuse  the 
wise  man  even,  to  whom  it  would,  seem  illogical  and  absurd.  Then 
eeeking  to  show  what  the  reason  is  for  this  universal  reciprocity  and 
affection,  and  love  and  honor,  he  finds  that  it  is  in  the  presence  of 
the  "miao"  or  universal  spirit,  which  thus  exists,  as  an  inner  enlight- 
ernment  in  all  men.  In  other  words,  that  the  marked  or  important 
characteristic  is  the  presence  in  all  men  of  this  common  spirit,  of  mutual 
help  and  brotherhood,  and  that  this  is  the  spirit  "bond  which  unites 
all    mankind   in   a    common   kinship.     This   also   is    the    "inner   light," 


[I29]: 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


which  only  needs  contact  with  another,  to  cause  it  to  flash  into  recog- 
nition. It  is,  in  fact,  a  clear  statement  of  the  fatherhood  of  God,  and 
the  brotherhood  of  man. 

It  may  be  well  to  more  exactly  define  the  characters  Kwei,  Shan, 
and  Miao,  as  used  by  Lao  Tsze.  Medhurst,  in  his  Chinese-English 
Dictionary,  taking  his  definitions  from  the  Imperial  Dictionary  of 
Kanghi,  interprets  Kwei,  as  a  ghost,  a  spirit,  a  demon,  that  to  which 
man  reverts  at  death;  Shan,  as  the  celestial  gods,  who  draw  forth  or 
develop  all  things;  and  Miao,  as  mysterious,  divine,  subtle;  wonderful; 
etc.  Under  the  title  Shan  he  speaks  of  the  "divine"  as  follows:  "The 
word  divine  refers  to  the  extreme  mystery  of  transformation;  it  may 
be  «aid  to  exist  in  all  things,  but  its  form  cannot  be  scrutinized.  In 
short  "divine"  means  holy  and  inscrutable.  Divine  is  that  which  is 
mysterious  and  confined  to  no  single  place.  That  in  which  it  is  im- 
possible to  trace  the  male  and  female  principle  of  nature  is  called  "di- 
vine." 

Miao,  thus,  is  the  divine  spirituality  in  general,  in  its  subtleness, 
sublimity  and  mystery;  Shan,  the  spirit,  as  producer  and  in-worker; 
and  Kwei,  as  the  spirits  of  the  dead.  Lao  Tsze  so  uses  these  terms, 
except  that  he  does  not  impute  the  powers  of  Shan  to  celestial  gods, 
since,  in  Chapter  I  he  distinctly  asserts  the  essential  identity  of  the 
Nameless  and  the  Named;  in  Chapter  VI,  the  "Valley  Spirit"  is  made 
the  eternal  source  alone;  in  Chapter  XXXIV  it  is  the  Tao  that, 
through  the  Teh,  produces  and  nourishes  and  gives  life  to  all;  in  Chap- 
ter XXXIX,  the  shan  are  in  union  with  the  Great  Unity,  the  Tao,  and 
derive  all  their  powers  therefrom;  and  in  Chapter  LII  the  Tao  itself 
became  the  great  motherhood,  when  the  Named  came  into  existence, 
and  a  distinct  warning  is  given  against  setting  up  any  of  the  offspring 
against  the  claims  of  the  supreme  mother. 

There  is  no  more  of  polytheism  in  the  Tao  Teh,  than  there  is  of 
pantheism,  or  materialism,  or  of  anthropomorphic  theology.  It  is  the 
great  living,  primal  agency,  "in  whom  we  live,  and  move,  and  have  omr 
being,"  the  great  originating,  sustaining,  co-ordinating,  spiritual,  intel- 
ligent, and  eternal  principle  of  the  universe.  It  is  the  highest  con- 
ception of  God. 

The  word  "miao,"  or  "meaou,"  as  indicated  in  the  commentaries 
of  Kwang  Tsze  and  elsewhere,  bears  evidence  of  having  somewhat 
changed  in  signification  since  the  time  of  the  Chinese  classical  writ- 
ings. In  a  translation  of  Chapter  I  of  the  Tao  Teh  quoted  from  Maxi- 
mus  Tyrius,   (Diss.),  by  Samuel  Johnson  in  his  Religions  of  China,  it 


[130] 


ANALYTICAL  INDEX 


is  rendered  as  "the  spirit,"  and  "all  spiritual  life/*  and  it  has  been 
elsewhere  translated  as  "spirituality."  Johnson  gives  the  sense  of  the 
corresponding  portion  of  Chapter  I  as,  "Whoso  is  without  craving  de- 
sires shall  behold  this  spirit,  in  substance,  not  in  form  alone."  The 
conversational  English-Chinese  dictionary  of  Tarn  Tat  Hin,  published 
at  Hong  Kong  in  1875,  does  not  define  the  word  "miao"  as  mysterious, 
but  as  the  basis  of  the  philosophy  of  mysticism,  which,  of  course,  ia 
universal  spirit.  The  radicals  composing  the  character  "miao"  are 
those  of  an  unmarried  daughter,  one  who  is  ready  to  produce  or  bring 
forth,  but  has  not  yet  done  so,  and  of  a  little,  a  little  while,  shortly; 
in  other  words,  all  charged  and  ready  to  bring  forth,  as  soon  as  the 
spark  has  been  applied. 

In  Chapter  XXXIX  twice  occurs  the  character  "ling,"  which  is 
very  inadequately  rendered  as  "soul,"  and  "spirit-power."  The  radi- 
cals which  go  to  make  up  this  composite  character  are  five  in  number. 
First  is  the  radical  of  "rain,  or  heaven's  gate  opened,  and  the  drops  of 
water  descending  from  thence;"  second,  a  shelter  or  protection;  third, 
the  character  for  mouth  or  entrance,  thrice  repeated;  fourth,  the  radi- 
cal for  bamboo,  which  is  used  as  a  symbol  for  harmonious  sounds,  as 
in  the  pan-pipes;  and  fifth,  the  radical  for  good  work,  or  ingenuity 
brought  to  perfection. 

The  sense  of  the  word  is  given  by  Medhurst  as  anything  that  is 
in  confusion  without  falling  to  ruins;  anyone  who  becomes  famous  with- 
out diligent  exertion;  anyone  who  is  able  to  secure  his  object  after  his 
death,  and  to  any  one  who  displays  divine  power  after  his  death;  in 
which  senses  it  appears  to  mean  extraordinary  or  supernatural;  it  ap- 
plies also  to  one  who  is  thoroughly  acquainted  with  invisible  beings. 
The  sense  in  which  Lao  Tsze  used  it  is  obvious;  spirit  attained  ts 
unity,  thereby  "ling;"  were  it  not  for  "ling"  they  would  soon  fail. 
This  "ling"  is  the  spirit-power  rained  down  from  heaven,  and  received 
and  put  to  high  use  by  the  spirits,  in  harmony  and  protection,  for  »9 
subject  to  the  rule  of  heaven, 

"For  His  sheltering  arms  are  o'er  me." 

We  are  now  able  to  definitely  determine  the  spiritual  scheme  of 
Lao  Tsze  in  its  entirety. 

In  the  first  chapter  we  have  the  primordial  Namelessness,  whick 
exists  to-day,  just  as  it  ever  has  done,  and,  as  stated  in  Chapter  XL, 
was  produced,  (Shang,  a  radical;  to  advance,  to  arise,  to  spring  up;  to 
cause  to  grow;  to  bear,  to  produce,  to  bring  forth,  to  generate;  to  come 
forth;  to  nourish;  life,  to  live,  to  be  alive;  raw,  new;)  and  is  ever  being 

= [I3i]- 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


produced  from  non-existence,  (Wu;  not,  without,  destitute  of,  wanting; 
the  state  between  emptiness  and  nothingness). 

The  Nameless  merged  into  the  Named,  both  being  the  same  but 
under  different  aspects  of  development,  and  the  pervading  mystery  wai 
the  "miao,"  or  spirituality  in  general.  This  was  so  elusive  that  all 
efforts  to  fathom  it  are  vain,  but  it  can  be  felt  and  understood,  by  the 
mind  in  sympathy  with  nature,  spontaneously.  This  "miao"  still  per- 
sists and  is  present  as  a  basic  factor  in  the  souls  or  lives  of  men,  and  in 
all  things,  and  unites  all  nature  in  a  co-ordinated,  a  harmonious  and 
inter-acting  whole;  the  spirit  of  the  universe. 

The  principle  of  operation  from  the  primordial  to  the  end  is  gradual 
evolution  of  the  more  advanced  from  the  less  advanced.  Between  these 
factors,  whenever  they  exist,  there  is  always  an  energizing  and  harmon- 
izing spirit-entity  which  is  the  factor,  controller,  and  determiner  of 
growth;  and  this,  like  the  "miao,"  is  intelligent  and  self-conscious, 
though  to  us  it  appeal's  unconscious. 

As  nature  advances,  the  "shan,"  the  individual  spirits,  are  found, 
having  direct  contact  with  human  concerns,  and  manifesting  themselves 
as  what  may  be  called  efficient  and  active  spirit-presences.  Man  is 
endowed  with  an  animal  soul,  by  inheritance,  at  his  birth,  or  before. 
There  grows  in  him,  by  modification  of  this  and  by  agencies  from  with- 
out, the  spiritual  soul,  which  survives  after  his  death.  This  soul  is  able 
to  be  in  contact  with  the  great  principle  of  the  "miao"  which  is  a  part 
of  the  "Unity,"  if  not  the  Unity  itself;  by  quietude,  vacancy  from  dis- 
turbing factors,  and  humility,  inspiration  and  knowledge  come  to  this 
soul  from  without. 

The  spirits  of  the  dead  live  on  as  the  "Kwei,"  but  are  in  ultimate 
connection  with  the  "shan"  and  the  "miao,"  and  finally  may  live  on 
with  (or  flap  wings  with)  the  Eternal  in  Heaven,  which  is  not  a  local 
Heaven  but  a  universal  Heaven.  The  "shan"  derive  their  powers,  de- 
scribed as  "ling,"  from  the  primal  Unity,  with  which  they  are  eternally 
connected.  This  Unity  is  that  of  Chapter  XLII,  "The  T&o  produced 
the  Unity,"  and  is  also  that  of  Chapter  IV,  wherein  there  is  a  doubt 
expressed  as  to  whether  the  T&o,  the  process  or  function,  or  the  Unity, 
the  structure,  or  ancestor,  the  Ti,  or  conscious  God,  has  precedence. 
Correlated  with  all  this  is  the  great  opposite  principle  of  involution, 
or  returning.  Says  Kwang  Tsze,  in  his  commentaries  on  the  Tao  Teh, 
"It  was  separation  that  led  to  completion;  from  completion  ensued 
dissolution.  But  all  things,  without  regard  to  their  completion  and 
dissolution,  may  again  be  comprehended  in  their  unity;— it  is  only  the 

[  132  3 


ANALYTICAL   INDEX 


far-reaching  in  thought  who  know  how  to  comprehend  them  in  this 
unity." 

Of  the  community  of  man,  spirit,  and  the  Tao,  the  same  ancient 
commentator  says,  "Where  is  what  was  called  of  old  the  method  of  the 
Tao?  We  must  reply,  it  is  everywhere.  But  then  whence  does  the 
spiritual  in  it  come  down?  and  whence  does  the  intelligence  in  it  come 
forth?  There  is  that  which  gives  birth  to  the  Sage,  and  that  which 
gives  his  perfection  to  the  King:— the  origin  of  both  is  the  One.  Not 
to  be  separate  from  his  primal  source  constitutes  what  we  call  the 
Heavenly  man;  not  to  be  separate  from  the  essential  nature  thereof 
constitutes  what  we  call  the  Spirit-like  man;  not  to  be  separate  from 
its  real  truth  constitutes  what  we  call  the  Perfect  man." 
THE  TAO. 

In  spite  of  the  warning  contained  in  the  lines  of  Chapter  I,  and  re- 
affirmed in  Chapter  XXV,  and,  in  fact,  throughout  the  book,  Chalmers 
and  some  other  translators  have  given  the  Tao  a  name  of  their  own, 
and  identified  it  with  some  aspect  of  Reason,  Logos,  or  the  like;  the 
result  predicted  in  lines  6  and  7  of  Chapter  I  has  occurred,  and  the 
whole  translation  has  been  vitiated  and  corrupted  throughout.  The  Tao 
in  no  wise  corresponds  with  Divine  Reason,  or  anything  analogous  to 
our  reason;  it  represents  the  orderly  course  of  what  we  now  see  as 
Nature,  far  back  behind  the  veil,  but  that  this  all-embracing  evolution, 
alternating  with  involution,  is  at  all  comparable  to  any  "reason"  there 
is  no  reason  to  believe.  In  its  operation  it  appears  at  times  quite  con- 
trary to  any  of  the  operations  of  what  we  know  as  reason.  That  it 
manifests  "wisdom,"  goes  without  saying,  and  in  the  form  of  applied 
wisdom,  because  in  its  capacity  of  all-producer  and  all-produced,  there 
is  essentially  harmony  throughout,  for  this  is  merely  self-harmony. 
But  it  is  more  than  wisdom;  it  is  wisdom  at  work— it  is  not  "force"  or 
"matter,"  but  energy,  which  is  the  only  concept  of  such  phenomena 
possible  to  the  concrete  Chinese  mind,  and,  indeed,  when  analyzed,  the 
only  concept  possible  to  any  mind;  for  outside  energy,  (which  exhibits 
matter  with  properties,  that  is,  with  force  applied),  these  terms  are 
mere  meaningless  metaphysical  abstractions. 

In  rendering  the  Tao  Teh  the  best,  highest  and  clearest  results  are 
always  secured  by  the  most  rigid  and  literal  adherence  to  the  text,  and, 
in,  this  way,  also,  the  true  sense  of  the  work  is  brought  out  and  made 
clear  and  simple. 

The  old  Christian  father,  Basil,  clearly  expressed  the  idea,  That 
Ood;  is,  I  know;  but  what  His  essence  is,  I  hold  to  be  above  reason." 
So,  Thomas  Aquinas,  "We  cannot  so  name  God  that  the  name  which 


[I33l 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


denotes  Him  shall  express  the  Divine  Essence  as  it  is."  So,  also, 
Augustine,  "God  is  ineffable;  we  more  easily  aay  what  He  is  not  than 
what  He  is."  This  is  said  of  God,  how  much  more  does  it  apply  to  the 
T&o,  which  is  means,  method,  process,  way,  or  course? 

Not  only  in  this  opening  ohapter  doe*  the  great  old  philosopher 
refuse  to  name  it  with  a  name  of  comparison,  but  he  refuses  to  do  so 
throughout  the  whole  work.  In  Chapter  XXV  he  calls  it  "a  Thing," 
and  when  constrained  to  go  further,  he  can  only  call  it  the  Ttx>,  tha 
Way  or  Course,  and  The  Great.  Its  true  characteristics  can  indeed 
only  be  discovered  by  taking  all  the  cosmical  or  world-process  chapters 
together,  and  it  will  then  be  clearly  seen  that  no  specific  word  in  any 
language  can  cover  it;  this  is  necessarily  so,  for  names  deal  only  with 
comparisons,  and  this  is  altogether*  without  any  basis  or  standard  of 
comparison. 

Chapter  II.  This  chapter  brings  out  the  gradation  between  qualities;  ther« 
are  no  sharp  lines  of  division,  and  hence  no  valid  grounds  for  absolute 
or  dogmatic  teaching.  As  nature  is  in  a  continual  flux,  which  man's 
efforts  are  futile  to  oppose,  his  proper  and  only  successful  course  is  to 
follow  along  with  this  great  flux,  working  in  harmony  with  it,  and 
seeking  to  regulate  and  aid,  as  he  can,  instead  of  obstruct  ar.d  interfere 
with  it.  He  does  not  sit  idle,  with  folded  hands,  in  a  state  of  hopeless 
or  hopeful  resignation,  but  works  as  the  boundless  workshop  of  nature 
around  him  works.  In  this  way  the  results  produced  are,  beyond  all 
conception,  greater  and  more  permanent  than  could  be  produced  by  his 
own  unaided  efforts;  he  uses  the  leverage  of  the  eternal  universe,  and 
works  in  harmony  with  it. 

For  anyone  to  have  undertaken  to  teach  idleness  to  a  people  like  the 
Chinese  would  have  seemed  like  an  extravagant  jest;  there  is  no  country 
on  the  globe  where,  from  the  earliest  history,  industry  was  so  uni- 
versally recognized  as  the  highest  function  of  man,  and  his  universal 
attendant  from  the  cradle  to  the  grave.  L9.o's  teaching  was,  in  effect, 
to  induce  men  to  abandon  everything  which  would  interfere  with  regular 
and  productive  industry,  and  so  enable  them  ''to  work  to  advantage." 

Ohapter  I.    It  cannot  be  named;  it  is  the  ineffable  Way. 

Chapter  IV.  Appears  as  emptiness,  but  it  is  exhaustless;  its  functions. 
It  seems  that  it  might  have  been  antecedent  to  God. 

Gkapter  VI.  The  "Spirit  of  the  Valley"  never  dies.  The  Tao  is  the  source 
of  all  things,  and  exhaustlessly  and  without  effort  supplies  all  those  who 
■eek  to  uae  it. 

Chapter  XIV.    Its  "Way"  described;  the  "thread"  of  Tfto. 

[134]^  ====== 


ANALYTICAL  INDEX 


Chapter  XVI.  Receptive  vacancy  the  condition  of  mind  for  comprehending 
the  operations  of  the  T&o,  which  opens  comprehension  by  inspiration. 

Chapter  XXI.  This  is  one  of  the  most  profound  chapters  on  evolution  in 
the  book,  or,  in  fact,  in  all  literature.  It  reveals  "The  Great  Integrating 
Principle  of  Nature/'  of  Lamarck  and  Romanes,  and  of  all  the  moit 
recent  modern  science.  Indeed  the  cosmical  chapters  of  the  T&o  Teh, 
taken  together,  constitute  a  complete  anticipation  in  scope  and  detail  of 
the  most  recent  presentments  of  cosmical  and  evolutionary  science  and 
philosophy,  but  with  a  depth,  comprehensiveness,  and  grandeur  not 
elsewhere  to  be  found,  even  to-day.  Ther&  is  no  hesitancy;  the  great 
author  goes  directly  to  the  point. 

Chapter  XXIII.  In  this  curious  chapter  the  exact  construction  of  the 
original  is  preserved.  Who  identifies  himself  with  the  T&o  becomes 
"the  T&o's  one,"  and  so  with  him  who  cannot  reach  the  T&o  directly, 
but  identifies  himself  with  its  "virtues/'  or  active  operations.  It  re- 
minds one  of  Leigh  Hunt's  Abou  ben  Adhem,  who,  when  his  name  wai 
not  found  among  those  whom  love  of  God  had  blessed,  asked,  "Write 
me  as  one  that  loves  his  fellow-men,"  and  whose  name,  when  the  angel 
reappeared,  with  the  book,  "led  all  the  rest." 

The  concluding  part  illustrates  the  self-ruin  brought  on  by  the  one 
who  had,  to  use  a  western  colloquialism,  "electioneered  for  a  licking." 
The  proverb  at  the  end  is  a  quotation  from  the  ancients. 

Chapter  XXIV.  This  contrasts  moral  deformities,  from  non-observance  of 
the  T&o,  with  bodily  deformities,  and  loathsome  things;  the  follower  of 
the  T&o  will  dwell  with  none  of  these. 

Chapter  XXV.  This  is  another  of  those  great  cosmical  and  ontological 
chapters.  It  explains  itself.  "Which  WAS  before  existed  Heaven  and 
Earth." 

Chapter  XXX.  What  is  not  in  accord  with  the  T&o  will  soon  cease.  Com- 
pare with  Chapter  LV. 

Chapter  XXXII.  "The  eternal  T&o  is  nameless."  When  thus  primordially 
nameless,  it  may  appear  to  be  an  insignificant  thing;  but  it  is  the  im- 
perceptible flow  of  a  vast  and  resistless  current,  which  we  simply  fail 
to  perceive,  because  we  are  in  it.  If  wc  were  fully  conformed  with  the 
T&o,  everything  would  be  in  harmony.  But  when  Named,  then  it  deal« 
with  the  changes  of  tangible  things,  and  works  in  them,  and  when  men 
know  when  to  stop,  they  are  secure. 

Chapter  XXXIV.  The  T&o,  in  this  chapter,  is  shown  as  the  ever-present 
energizer  of  all  the  individualities  and  entities  of  the  universe,  but  all 
unknown  to  them.     It  is  like  thel  rule  of  the  earliest  rulers,  of  Chapter 


1135] 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


XVII,  where  the  people  said,  "We  are  as  we  are  by  our  own  choosing," 
that  is,  spontaneously. 
Chapter  XXXV.  "Lay  hold  of  the  Great  Form  of  T&o!"  This  is  the 
"Great  Image"  of  ancient  Chinese  philosophy.  It  is  what  our  North 
American  Indians  picture  as  the  "Great  Spirit,"  and  which,  contrarily, 
many  theologians  conceive  of,  (or  think  they  do),  as  an  overgrown  man. 
But  here  L&o  means,  by  "laying  hold,"  to  identify  one's  self  with,  and 
travel  along  with,  the  Tao,  as  in  Chapter  XXIII.  Then,  indeed,  the 
world,  doing  likewise,  will  follow,  and  in  peace  and  security,  for,  willy- 
nilly,  we  must  follow  this  great  T&o,  this  "great  integrating  and  con- 
trolling principle  of  nature,"  spiritual,  intelligent,  self-conscious,  uni- 
versal, and  altogether  irresistible;  but  we  can  do  it  as  a  criminal  dragged 
along  by  an  officer,  or  as  a  man  walking  erect  with  the  glory  of  the 
eternal  on  his  brow.  (See  Chapter  LII.)  "You  will  train  with  the 
Internal." 

Chapter  XXXVII.  "The  T&o  eternally  non-aets;"  that  is,  it  acts  without 
show  or  performance;  it  is  the  movement,  for  example,  of  a  great 
river,  like  the  Mississippi,  whose  mighty  power  is  not  manifest  to  those 
who  are  carried  along  with  and  in  its  current. 

Chapter  XL.  There  is  again  re-stated  the  operation  of  "returning"  as  a 
mode  of  the  T&o;  it  is  efflux  and  influx,  not  a  movement  in  circles  or 
along  spirals,  but  an  outputting  and  an  incoming.  Its  apparent  weak- 
ness is  due  to  the  whole  great  unity  of  movement,  of  which,  we  are  a 
part,  but  its  illimitable  power  is  manifest  in  the  production  of  every- 
thing; and  even  existence  from  non-existence. 

Chapter  XLI.  This  keen  satire,  by  its  very  excess  of  the  language,  convicts 
those  who  used  such  statements,  of  insincerity  and  ignorance.  The 
"sentence-makers"  are  .of  that  type  of  ancient  critics  who  have  their 
analogies  in  every  age,  the  literalists,  the  men  who  are  ready  to  use  any 
means  to  establish  a  preconceived  opinion. 

Chapter  XLII.  This  profound  chapter  deals  directly  with  the  origin  of 
things.,  and  is  one  of  the  most  important  in  the  whole  book.  Its  im- 
portance lies  not  in  the  sequence  of  events,  but  in  the  concluding  lines 
of  the  first  part.  In  this  philosophy  there  is  constant  change,  in  evo- 
lution, from  the  less  developed  to  the  more  developed.  This  corre- 
sponds closely  to  the  "becoming"  in  the  philosophy  of  Schelling,  and 
of  Hegel,  and  of  some  of  the  older  philosophers.  But  here  we  have  the 
key  and  the  motive  power  of  the  becoming,  which  all  the  prior  philos- 
ophies have  overlooked.  One  will  think  of  the  opening  of  Genesis, 
"The  spirit  of  God   (the  gods),   brooded  on  the  face  of  the  waters." 


[136 


ANALYTICAL   INDEX 


But  here  there  is  an  intelligent,  self-acting,  practical,  interstitial  prin- 
ciple, in  the  substantiality  of  spirit,  which  acts  directly  between  the 
factors  of  every  process,  to  harmonize,  to  lead  them  on,  to  elevate,  and 
to  determine  them.  It  is  the  "great  co-ordinating  principle  of  the  uni- 
verse," divided,  scattered,  as  in  Chapter  XXVIII,  and  manifesting, 
in  the  tiniest,  as  well  as  in  the  greatest  things,  spiritual  function  and 
eontrol  between  the  infinitely  multifarious  changes  of  all  space  and  time. 
(See  Chapter  LI). 

Chapter  LI.  This  is  a  hymn  of  thanksgiving  to  the  Great  Tao,  the  pro- 
ducer and  sustainer.  It  teaches  the  important  lesson  of  free-will.  There 
is  no  servile  obedience  to  primordial  command;  all  act  spontaneously, 
and  independently  within  the  limits  of  the  great  spiritual  forces  of  the 
universe.  For  if  this  is  true  of  the  exaltation  and  honoring  of  the  Tao 
by  all  creatures  that  grow,  it  is  true  in  a  broader  sense;  it  should  be 
noted  also  that  this  is  primarily  applied  to  those  which  have  life;  sec- 
ondarily, it  is  applied  to  aD  things,  and  in  the  last  part,  again,  is  ap- 
plied to  the  living. 

Chapter  LIX.  Lasting  life  is  secured  by  keeping  the  Tao  in  constant  sight; 
it  i9  said  of  Enoch,  "He  walked  with  God." 

Chapter  LXII.  This  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  chapters  in  the  book.  The 
Tao,  as  saving  the  sin-bound,  as  clinging  to  the  bad,  as  asking,  "are 
even  the  bad  from  it  cut  loose?"  presents  quite  a  contrast  with  the 
theologies  of  the  past,  and  even  some  of  those  of  the  present.  Con- 
trast this  chapter  with  Chapter  XXVII,  "No  man  he  rejects  or  loses; 
he  everything  saves  and  uses,"  these  practices  being  manifestations  of 
inner  enlightenment  from  the  Great  Enlightener. 

Chapter  LXXIX.  The  T'ao  of  Heaven  knows  no  favoritism,  but  always 
interposes  for  th«  good. 

There  is  probably  no  other  philosophy  or  theology  in  which  are  ao 
clearly  brought  out  the  contest  of  good  and  evil,  the  actual  identifica- 
tion of  evil  with  mere  interference  with  the  universal  harmony,  the 
futility  of  such  interference,  the  temporary  character  of  its  effects,  and 
the  promise  of  the  disappearance  of  such  interference,  as  the  universal 
operations  of  the  "world-process"  are  better  understood;  or  in  which 
the  questions  of  free-will  from  independent  and  uncontrolled,  but  in- 
dividually divided,  spirit,  are  so  clearly  put  and  so  fully  worked  out, 
as  in  the  Tao  Teh. 

TEACHING. 

Chapter  II.    Proceeds  in  silence,  like  nature,  and  teaches  by  example. 

— =^[137  3^  = — = 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


Chapter  III.  Provides  for  physical  wants,  and  so  prevents  disorder,  by 
eliminating  desires. 

Chapter  XLII.  The  teaching  of  L&o  Tsze  concerning  those  who  are  violent 
and  aggressive. 

Chapter  XLIII.    Silent  teaching;  its  advantages;  how  seldom  practised. 

Chapter  LXII.  "He  would  be  less  than  one  on  lowly  seat,  who  could  the 
lessons  of  the  T&o  repeat."  Literally,  "is  not  equalled  by  one  sitting 
down  and  presenting  this  Tfi.o." 

Chapter  LXIII.  This,  and  the  next  chapter,  would  make  capital  texts  to 
hang  up  conspicuously  in  every  shop,  factory  and  business  institution 
in  the  land.  No  more  concise  rules  for  carrying  on  a  successful  busi- 
ness were  ever  presented,  not  excluding  the  immortal  maxims  of  "Poor 
Richard." 

Chapter  LXX.    Here  L&o  presents  himself  directly  as  the  teacher.    It  re- 
minds one  of  the  saying  of  Jesus,  "How  often  would  I  have  gathered 
ye    .    .    .    but  ye  would  not."    There's  an  "Ancestry  in  my  words,  a 
Head  for  the  things  I  preach." 
THE  UNITY. 

The  One,  or  the  Unity,  is  the  great  T&o  in  its  primal  character; 
there  is  also  an  indefinite  blending  with  this  of  the  Ti  of  Chapter  XXI. 
In  Chapter  XLII,  "The  T&.0  produced  One,"  etc.,  indicates  that  these 
great  principles  are  so  closely  allied  that  it  is  impossible  to  differentiate 
one  from  the  other  in  order  of  precedence,  but  only  in  function.  We 
appear  to  have  here  something  like  the  co-ordinate  union  of  Will  and 
Intellect,  in  ron  Hartmann's  Philosophy  of  the  Unconscious,  and  the 
co-ordinated  Love  and  Wisdom  of  Swedenborg,  or  substantially  the 
Purpose  and  Intelligence  of  Lamarck.  The  formal  proposition,  that 
Function  precedes  Structure,  which  is  the  accepted  basis  of  biological 
evolution,  from  the  non-materialistic  standpoint,  accords  with  the  or- 
der that  the  Tax>,  the  function,  precedes  the  co-ordinated  harmony, 
conscious  and  intelligent,  which  is  called  the  Ti.  It  is  true  that  both 
are,  together,  a  composite  unity,  and,  as  such,  are  the  source  of  all 
spirit  as  well  as  all  material  forms.  The  first  product  is  the  duality  of 
Heaven  and  Earth  (see  Chapter  I),  which  thus  becomes  the  universal 
motherhood. 

These  evolutions  must  not  be  considered  as  having  merely  occurred 
at  some  distant  period  of  time;  they  may  be,  nay  are,  going  on  now,  in 
all  their  stages,  everywhere,  as  they  ever  have  been,  and  ever  will  be, 
in  the  co-ordinated  processes  of  evolution,  involution,  disappearance  in 
apparent  nothingness,  and  reappearance   again,  in  new  evolutions.   Nor 


—  [ijS* 


ANALYTICAL  INDEX 


is  all  this  a  mere  blind,  automatic  cycle;  over  all,  and  in  all,  the  great 
conscious  organizer  and  sustainer  works  continually,  quite  unknown 
to,  but  fully  manifest  in,(all  its  works.  Nothing  is  more  constantly  in- 
sisted on  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  the  T&o  Teh. 

Chapter  XXXIX.  This  remarkable  chapter  treats  of  those  which  "attained 
to  the  Unity,"  and  are  an  integral  part  of  the  great  primal  and  eternal 
principle  of  the  universe  described  as  the  Unity,  the  One. 

At  first  sight  the  remarkable  character  of  Chapter  XXXIX  will  be, 
most  likely,  overlooked.  There  is  a  list  given  of  those  agencies  known 
to  man  which  are  primary,  that  is  a  constituent  of,  and  undivided  from, 
the  Great  Primary.  These  agencies  are,  first,  the  forces  which  con- 
trol the  pureness,  (the  word  is  denned  as  pure,  clear,  limpid,  uncor- 
rupted;  its  radicals  are  water,  that  which  finds  its  level;  moons  or 
months;  and  good  and  clear),  of  interstellar  space;  second,  those  which 
control  the  steadiness  of  the  earth;  third,  those  by  which  spirit-forces 
are  replenished  from  the  great  spirit  source;  fourth,  the  forces  which 
deal  with  matters  at  a  lower  level  supplied  by  those  at  a  higher  level, 
that  is,  gravitative  energy,  for  the  word  "valley"  has  a  much  broader 
meaning  (see  Chapter  VI)  than  in  its  rendering  here;  fifth,  the  vital 
principle  which  enters  into  and  vivifies  and  maintains  all  living  things, 
and  sixth,  the  delegated  authority  of  law  and  order  represented  by  the 
just  rulers  of  mankind.  If,  among  these  primal  forces,  electricity  or  that 
of  which  it  is  a  manifestation  be  one  of  the  forces  or  energies  of  inter- 
stellar space,  of  the  ether,  as  it  undoubtedly  is,  then  it  would  be  im- 
possible to  make  a  single  addition  to  this  list,  as  constituting  the 
primary  forces  to-day,  in  science,  or  take  one  therefrom.  The  cata- 
logue is  complete,  although  in  that  day  there  was  no  "science,"  nor 
anything  approaching  it,  and  some  of  those  named  would  seem  far 
more  trivial  in  themselves  than  many  which  have  been  omitted. 

Chapter  LV.  This  chapter  deals  with  the  eternal  harmony,  as  manifested 
directly  by  the  T9.o,  and  concludes  with  a  warning  against  the  inev- 
itable and  destructive  results  of  a  departure  from  this  harmony. 

Chapter  XLII.  This  is  a  most  important  chapter  detailing  the  series  of 
sequences  from  the  T&o  itself,  down  to  the  last  differentiation  and  in- 
tegration of  existing  things.  The  controlling  principle,  among  indi- 
viduals, is  the  energizing  and  harmonizing  spirit  entity  which  exists, 
between  all — but  not  as  constituting  all,  or  as  creating  all.  There  is 
neither  pantheism  nor  an  anthropomorphic  creator  in  all  this  philoso- 
phy.   God  is  the  producer,  not  the  creator. 


[139] 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


The  series  is:  first  the  Tao,  the  universal  way,  course,  will,  or 
function;  second,  the  One,  Unity,  which,  as  co-ordinated  intellect,  wis- 
dom, divinity,  and  universality,  corresponds  to  the  Ti,  or  God,  of  Chap- 
ter IV,  and  is  possibly  coeval  with,  and  indistinguishable  from,  the 
Tao;  third,  the  duality  of  Heaven  and  Earth,  which  are  not  here 
used  in  a  cosmical,  but  a  spiritual  sense  (see  Chapter  I),  thus  becom- 
ing the  great  world-motherhood  or  producer;  fourth,  the  Three,  con- 
sisting of  the  yin,  the  less  developed,  the  yang,  that  into  which  it  is 
about  to  merge,  and  the  immaterial  breath  or  spirit  (now  individual- 
ized for  each),  which  effects  and  harmonijes  the  changes  of  the  yin 
and  yang;  and,  lastly,  all  the  succeeding  products  which  we  call  nature. 
Over  all  is  the  great  Unity  of  Chapters  I,  XXXIV,  etc.,  etc. 
UNSELFISHNESS  AND  HUMILITY. 

Chapter  VII.  To  put  one's  self  behind  results  in  actual  and  permanent 
precedence;  who  abandons  selfishness  will  succeed  in  his  undertakings. 

Chapter  VIII.  Water  is  here  taken  as  the  type  of  lowliness  or  humility, 
and  which  conquers  all  things  without  striving  (or  contending). 

Chapter  X.  "To  uplift  all  and  yet  rule  not,  is  virtue  the  highest  and 
best." 

Chapter  XIII.  Personal  honor  and  capacity  for  great  sacrifice  are  the 
highest  qualities  in  a  ruler. 

Chapter  XV.    "Empty  of  themselves,  they  do  not  become  old-fashioned." 

Chapter  XXII.  This  chapter  reminds  one  in  many  respects  of  the  beati- 
tudes recited  in  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  of  the  New  Testament.  The 
key  is  to  be  found  in  the  concluding  line  of  the  chapter,  "return  home;" 
this  refers  to  the  return  in  a  state  of  completeness  from  the  Tao,  as 
it  is  brought  out  in  Chapter  XVI,  and  the  "coming  home"  of  Chapter 
L;  it  is  the  higher  involution  to  compensate  for  and  correct  perverted 
evolution  in  this  life. 

Chapter  XLV.  Who  is  devoid  of  self-conceit  and  is  unsatisfied  with  his 
work,  but  aims  for  better  things,  will  go  on  from  day  to  day  without 
decay.  It  is  the  inspiration  of  high  aims.  Says  Emerson,  Hitch  your 
wagon  to  a  star.  Heat,  which  is  super-activity,  or  excitement,  is  best 
conquered  by  stillness. 

Chapter  LVI.  This  depicts  the  man  of  highest  nobility,  who  is  the  one 
identified  with  "the  Deep,"  that  is,  with  the  Tao.  It  is  a  noble  chap- 
ter of  universal  application,  and  will  secure  instant  recognition. 

Chapter  LXI.  By  lowliness  one  conquers,  so  the  woman  conquers  by 
quietude  and  modesty,  or  lowliness.  The  same  is  true  of  nations.  This 
is  a  brilliant  chapter  in  state-craft. 


[140]: 


ANALYTICAL  INDEX 


Chapter  LXII.  The  highest  noble  is  not  equalled  by  one  who  sits  down  and 
is  able  to  explain  the  Tao. 

Chapter  LXIII.  "Recompense  hatred  with  deeds  of  goodness."  This  chap- 
ter and  Chapter  LXIV,  together,  are  the  very  embodiment  of  modesty, 
thoroughness,  and  high  principle  as  applied  to  business  undertakings! 
They  are  as  applicable  to-day  as  when  they  were  first  written,  twenty- 
five  hundred  years  ago.  They  show  the  marvelous  common-sense  of  the 
old  philosopher,  and  his  thorough  observation  and  knowledge  of  life 
and  business  around  him.  He  was  no  ascetic— he  was  a  skilled  hand 
in  all  that  concerns  life  and  mind,  and  what  may  seem  theories  are 
really  the  working  out  of  deeper  and  entirely  practical  principles,  which 
the  future  will  yet  agree  to  be  the  only  secure  basis  of  success,  both 
here  and  hereafter. 

Chapter  LXVL  This  is  a  beautiful  chapter  on  self-abnegation,  and  a  picture 
of  the  success  which  will  follow  from  this  alone,  if  it  can  ever  follow  at 
all.  The  homage  and  tribute  of  the  whole  world  will  come  to  those 
who  keep  themselves  "low  down."  This  is  the  same  thought,  applied 
here  to  the  individual,  as  in  Chapter  LXI  to  the  state. 

Chapter  LXVII.  "Avoiding  precedence;"  to  strive  for  the  opposite  is 
death. 

Chapter  LXXVI.    "What  accompany  life  are  the  tender  and  weak, 
And  death  are  the  stiff  and  the  strong." 

Chapter  LXXVI  LI.  There  is  nothing  weaker  than  water;  but  m  prac- 
tice who  can  apply  the  lesson? 

Chapter  LXXIX.    The  sage  only  holds  to  his  own  obligations,  in  an  agree- 
ment, leaving  the  other  party  uncontrolled  as  to  his  obligations;   the 
virtuous  man  recites  the  whole  agreement,  he  who  has  no  virtue  only 
cites  his  claims.    But  the  Tao  Avill  always  interpose  for  the  good  man 
VIRTUE. 

Dr.  Legge  says  of  Teh,  (whigh  is  usually  translated  Virtue),  and 
which  is  the  title  of  the  second  part  of  the  book,  the  Tao  Teh,  "The 
'virtue'  is  the  activity  or  operation  of  the  Tao.  It  is  not  easy  to  ren- 
der Teh  here  by  any  other  English  term  than  'Virtue,'  and  yet  there 
would  be  danger  of  its  thus  misleading  us  in  the  interpretation  of  the 
chapter."  Han  Fei  defines  it  thus,  "Teh  is  the  meritorious  work  of  the 
Tao."  Occasionally,  throughout  the  work,  teh  is  used  in  the  ordinary 
sense  of  "Virtue;"  but  this  word  "Virtue"  itself  has  so  many  mean- 
ings that  only  by  holding  closely  to  the  Tao  Teh  as  "The  Tao  and  its 
Virtues"  will  we  be  able  to  understand  the  sense  of  the  original.     The 

=~[  Mi  } 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


original  signification  of  "Virtue"  is  related  to  manliness;  so  here,  to 
coin  a  word,  it  might  be  called  "Tao-liness." 

Chapters  XVIII  and  XIX.  These  chapters  refer  to  the  man-made  substi- 
tutes for  the  original  virtues,  which  are  the  primary  manifestations  of 
the  Tao. 

Chapter  XXXVIII.  This  chapter,  which  opens  the  second  part,  the  Teh, 
in  its  first  portion  gives  a  rapid  resume  of  the  general  degradation  of 
the  original  virtues  down  to  the  pugnacious  final  sham  of  formal 
propriety.  In  the  original  there  is  a  continual  play  on  a  few  words, 
which  have  compelled  translators  to  go  outside  the  primary  meanings 
of  some  of  the  terms,  in  order  to  convey  the  sense.  But  this  is  un- 
necessary, as  the  rendering  here  given  shows. 

Chapter  XLIX.  "Virtue,"  the  great  Tao-virtue,  as  exemplified  in  the 
"golden  rule."     (See  article,  Sage,  in  this  index.) 

Chapter  LIV.  The  outflow  of  the  virtues  of  the  Tao,  which  outflow  spon- 
taneously arises  from  its  practice,  is  the  subject  of  this  whole  chap- 
ter. Every  trial  of  these  virtues  becomes  a  test  and  example  for  others, 
and  the  results  will  be  so  obvious  and  conspicuous  that,  were  they  gen- 
erally practised,  the  final  result  would  be  manifest  throughout  the 
whole  world. 

Chapter  LV.  The  "attributes''  are  the  Teh,  the  virtues  of  the  Tao.  The 
first  part  recalls  the  saying  of  Jesus,  "Except  ye  become  as  one  of 
these,"  etc.  Here  it  is  said,  "Who  abundantly  has  the  Teh,  is  like  an 
infant  child." 

Chapter  LVI.  These  are  examples  of  the  virtues  of  the  Tao,  of  which  those 
who  know,  and  practise  them,  are  silent,  while  those  who  do  not  know, 
and  do  not  practise  them,  are  ready  to  speak.  To  practise  moderation 
in  speech,  to  relieve  distress  in  others,  to  aid  them  in  their  difficulties, 
to  temper  the  glare  of  brightness,  to  share  in  the  minuteness  of  the 
dust;  one  who  has  these  virtues  is  identified  with  the  great  Deep,  the 
Tao.  In  the  second  part  such  a  man's  inaccessibility  to  deception, 
bribery  and  baseness,  and  the  impossibility  of  using  him  for  dishonor- 
able schemes  is  asserted,  and  he  "becomes  the  noble  one  of  the  world." 

Chapter  LXII.  "Why  did  the  ancients  prize  this  Tao  so  much?"  This  is 
a  most  splendid  chapter. 

Chapter  LXIII.  We  have  here  the  substance  of  the  "Golden  Rule"  stated, 
as  applied  in  business,  as  we  had  it,  in  Chapter  XLIX,  as  applied  ki 
ethics.  The  virtues  of  this  and  the  next  following  chapter  are  concrete, 
work-day  virtues,  and  are,  however  little  believed  in  to-day,  the  prac- 
tical foundations  of  true  success  in  life. 


[M2] 


ANALYTICAL  INDEX 


Chapter  LXXVIII.    This  reads  like  a  chapter  from  Isaiah,  the  Hebrew 
prophet,  "Who  bears  the  sins  of  his  country,  who  carries  its  woes,  who 
bears  its  curse." 
Chapter  LXXIX.    Who  has  virtue  names  the  whole  agreement;  who  has 

not  virtue  only  cites  his  own  claims. 
Chapter  LXXXI.    This  chapter  is  a  summary  of  isome  of  the  teachings  of 
the  T&o  Teh,  as  applied  to  men's  dealings  with  each  other.     In  the 
original  there  are,  as  rendered  here,  eight  couplets. 

In  this  rendering  there  has  been  added  an  explanatory  couplet  to 
each,  and  these  are  taken  from  the  different  chapters  of  the  book.  For 
example,  for  the  first  added  couplet  refer  to  Chapter  XXXVIII;  for 
the  second;  to  Chapter  V;  for  the  third  to  Chapter  XLVIII;  for  the 
fourth  to  Chapter  IX;  for  the  fifth  to  Chapter  VII;  for  the  sixth  to 
Chapter  XVI;  for  the  seventh  to  Chapter  XXIII;  for  the  eighth  to 
Chapter  LXIV.  Of  course  the  same  teachings  are  found  in  many  other 
chapters;  indeed,  in  all  of  those  which  relate  to  the  subjects  referred  to. 
Kwang  Tsze,  in  his  commentaries,  Book  XVI,  clearly  shows  the  de- 
teriorization  of  the  primal  virtues,  ^arnong  men,  by  leaving  the  T&o  and 
substituting  the  good,  and  then  pursuing  bap-hazard  virtue;  then  add- 
ing elegant  forms;  these  extinguished  simplicity;  and  the  mind  became 
drowned  by  their  multiplicity,  and  irremediable  disorder  and  confusion 
followed. 
WAJL 

The  chapters  of  the  T&o  Teh  on  War  .make  almost  a  complete  theory  and 
practice  of  the  art  and  science,  even  according  to  the  modern  principles 
of  war.  They  are  full  of  instruction  and  warning. 
Chapter  XXX.  This  chapter  deals  with  the  excesses  to  be  avoided  in 
internecine  troubles;  the  defeated  should  not  be  pushed  to  the  last 
extremity,  but  room  left  for  the  subsequent  peace  and  fraternity,  which 
must  finally  come,  and  without  which  nothing  good  can  ever  result.  In 
the  third  line  we  have  a  statement  of  the  principle  that,  in  such  wars, 
we  should  so  conduct  ourselves  as,  were  the  cases  reversed,  would  meet 
with  our  approval.  In  other  words,  it  ,is  again  the  "Golden  Rule,"  which 
is  more  directly  stated,  however,  in  Chapters  XLIX  and  LXIII;  as 
fully,  in  fact,  as  it  ever  has  been  stated  anywhere. 
Chapter  XXXI.  Here  the  successful  conqueror,  at  the  head  of  his  army,  is 
compared  with  the  chief  mourner  at  a  funeral,  where  he  should  bitterly 
weep  for  the  thousands  who  have  fallen  before  him.  The  purpose  is  the 
utter  condemnation  of  war  except  as  a  last  necessity.  No  permanency 
or  success  attaches  to  the  rule  of  a  bloody  conqueror.  History  verifies 
this. 


[143] 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


Chapter  XLVI.    When  the  Tao  is  disregarded,  War  results. 

Chapter  LXV1II.  "The  great  commander  is  not  a  warlike  man;  the  hardest 
fighter  is  not  a  man  of  wrath;  the  greatest  conqueror  shares  not  in  the 
strife;  the  great  employer  treads  the  workmen's  path."  The readermay 
probably  think  of  examples  like  Grant  or  Lee,  of  Stonewall  Jackson, 
of  Bismarck,  and  of  Edison;  but,  indeed,  they  are  world-wide,  when  one 
looks  over  the  field  of  history.  This  power  of  "utilizing  men;"  that  is 
the  keynote  of  success  in  all  the  higher  undertakings.  It  has  been  said, 
"When  God  needs  a  mail  to  do  a  certain  work,  he  prepares  him  for  it, 
and  brings  the  man."  Lao  says,  in  this  chapter,  (which  is  true),  that 
all  this  is  fellowship  or  discipleship  with  Heaven. 

Chapter  LXIX.  This  is  another  almost  axiomatic  chapter  on  War.  Those 
who  recall  the  old  war-cry,  "On  to  Richmond,"  will  see  its  application. 
It  is  a  popular  lesson  on  a  very  little  understood  subject,  in  which,  in  a 
crisis,  popular  passion  takes  the  place  of  skillful  preparation. 

Chapter  LXXVI.     "The  conqueror  fails  who  relies  on  his  strength." 
WOMANHOOD,  WIFEHOOD,  MOTHERHOOD. 

Nothing  is  more  frequently  insisted  on  in  this  work  than  the  high  claims 
of  womanhood,  wifehood  and  motherhood.  These  are  made  the  type 
of  all  cosmical  and  evolutional  energy;  of  spirit;  of  humility,  modesty, 
and  of  power. 

Chapter  I.  "The  mother  of  the  ten-thousand  things;"  that  is,  the  mother 
of  all  things  and  creatures. 

Chapter  IV.     "I  do  not  know  whose  son  it  is." 

Chapter  VI.     "The  woman  spirit  of  the  abyss." 

Chapter  X.  "Tenderness,  as  an  infant  child."  "Can  one  not  act  like  a 
mother-bird?" 

Chapter  XX.    "I  prize  seeking  food  from  The  Mother." 

Chapter  XXV.    "Can  thereby  become  the  mother  of  all  under  heaven." 

Chapter  XXVIII.  "Who  knows  his  masculine  qualities  and  keeps  his  fem- 
inine qualities  is  made  the  channel  of  the  whole  world." 

Chapter  XXXVI.    "The  tender  and  weak  overcome  the  rigid  and  strong." 

Chapter  XLIV.     "Extreme  love  surely  demands  great  sacrifice." 

Chapter  XLV.  "Purity  and  clearness  are  the  standard  of  all  under 
heaven." 

Chapter  LI.  "The  Teh  nurses  them,  raises  them,  feeds  them,  completes 
them,  matures  them,  prolongs  them,  protects  them;"  is,  in  fact,  the 
universal  mother  of  all  things." 

Chapter  LII.  "When  all  under  heaven  took  on  beginning,  thereby  came 
into  existence  the  mother  of  all  under  heaven." 

"Who  keeps  to  his  mother,  when  his  body  dies,  is  not  in  danger." 

=============  [  144  ]— - ; 


ANALYTICAL  INDEX 


Chapter  LV.  "Who  embodies  abundantly  the  virtues  is  like  to  an  infant 
child."  ,    ,  „ 

Chapter  LVI.    "Cannot  be  got  and  loved,  and  not  be  got  and  discarded. 

Chapter  TJX.  "Who  possesses  the  Mother  of  the  State  can  thereby  be 
long  enduring."  . 

Chapter  LXI.  "A  great  state  is  of  all  under  heaven  the  union  and  the 
wife  The  female  by  quietude  always  .conquers  the  male.  By  quietude 
she  assumes  lowliness,  and  so,  like  her,  win  a  great  state  also  overcome, 
by  its  lowliness."  This  is  the  secret  of  all  true  and  enduring  power  and 
rule.  1 


THE  END  OF  THE  ANALYTICAL  INDEX. 


[I45> 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


LIST   OF   WORDS   OF  SPECIAL  SIGNIFICANCE,    AND    THEIR  DEFI 

NITIONS,  IN  THE  ORDER  OF  THE  SEPARATE  CHAPTERS  IN 

WHICH  ,THEY  ARE  USED;    DEFINED  ACCORDING  TO 

THE  MEDHURST,  MORRISON,  WILLIAMS,  TAM 

TAT    HIN,    AND    IMPERIAL    KANGHI 

DICTIONARIES. 

(Note.    The  Chinese  equivalents  being  only  introduced  for  refer- 
ence, the  tones  and  accents  are  omitted.) 
CHAPTER  I. 

WAY.  Taou  (Tao);  A  road,  a  thoroughfare,  a  way,  a  course,  an  orbit, 
Tao^li;  principles,  right  reason,  that  in  which  all  things  unite,  and  from 
whence  they  proceed.  As  a  verb,  to  follow  out,  to  lead,  to  come  from. 
(The  Chinese  word  for  reason,  right  principles,  is  not  Tao,  but  Li,  and 
is  from  a  quite  different  radical).  Taou  contains"  the  two  radicals,  one 
to  go  swiftly  .along  the  road,  and  the  other,  with  the  sense  of  spon- 
taneous or  .self -induced. 

NAME.    Ming;  A  name,  a  title,  a  designation. 

Nameless.    Woo  Ming,  (wu  ming),  without  name. 

Eternal.  Chang;  common,  constant,  usual,  long  continued,  a  rule,  a  law. 
Chang  Shang;  eternal  life.    Shang  signifies  life. 

HEAVEN.  T'heen,  (fc'ien);  Heaven,  Providence,  Nature,  thepowers  above, 
the  sky. 

EARTH.  T'he,  (ti);  The  earth,  the  terraqueous  globe,  the  ground,  the 
bottom.  Tien  ti;  heaven  and  earth.  They  are  not  here  used  in  the 
sense  of  the  physical  heaven  and  earth,  but  as  the  opposite  polar  prin- 
ciples first  produced  from  the  nameless,  of  which  the  physical  are  the 
types  or  results. 

NOT.  Fei;  This  is  an  intensitive  negative  in  the  sense  of  absolute  denial 
and  opposition,  turning  the  back  on,  not,  not  right,  wrong.  It  con- 
tains the,  sense  of  blame  or  scolding.  The  ordinary  negative  is  "pa." 
The  Chinese  is  very  rich  in  negatives  of  all  shades  of  meaning.    Hera 

—  1 146  ]  - 


VOCABULARY 


the  sense  is,  not  in  any  sense  the  eternal  way  or  the  eternal  name;  ut- 
terly opposed  to,  not  merely  privative  of.    They  differ  not  only  in  de- 
gree, but  absolutely  in  kind. 
BEGINNING.    Che,  (shi) ;  the  beginning,  the  commencement. 
MOTHER.    Moo,  (mu);  A  mother,  one  who  brings  up  .children,  and  who 
is  looked  up  to  by  her  family.    The  great  fatherhood  and  motherhood 
are  the  duality  of  Heaven  and  Earth.    There  are  other  characters  in 
Chinese  for  mother;  but  only  one  with  these  shades  of  meaning. 
THINGS,  BEINGS.    Wuh;  iA  substance,  a    thing,    anything    material    or 
different  from  oneself;  everything  produced  between  heaven  and  earth. 
Wan  Wuh;  all  things,  literally  the  myriad,  or  ten-thousand  things. 
THEREBY.    E,  (i);  by,  with,  in  order  to;  by  the  nameless  and  the  named, 

and  the  motherhood,  we  can  sound. 
MYSTERY  DIVINE.    ALL  SPIRIT.    Meaou,  (miao);  Mysterious,  divine, 

subtle,  wonderful.    See  Analytical  Index,  under  title,  Spirit. 
WITHOUT.    Woo,  (wu);  Without,  not,  destitute  of,  wanting. 
DESIRE.    Yuh,  (yu);  To  desire,  to  covet,  to  desire  insatiably;  desire   lust. 
DEEP   MYSTERY.    Heuen,  (huen) ;  A  black  color  with  a  tinge  of  yellow. 
Hiien  li,  abstruse  principles.    Hwai  huen,  to  conceive  mysteries.    Huen 
Kung,  the  deep  recesses.    Shang  huen,  Heaven.    Used  in  the  sense  of 
deep,  profound,  mysterious,  mystery. 
THE  SAME.    T'hung,  (t'ung) ;  To  unite,  together  with,  the  same. 
DIFFER.    E,  (i);  To  divide,  to  distinguish,  to  differ,  different,  dissimilar. 
PROGRESSION.    Ch'  huh,  (ch'  uh);  To  go  out,  to  go  forth,  to  spring  iortn, 

to  beget,  to  put  out. 
GATE.    Mun,  (man);  A  gate-way,  a  place  of  ingress  and  egress. 
CHAPTER  II. 

KNOW.  KNOWN.  Che,  (chi) ;  A  word  containing  an  idea  as  swift  as  aa 
arrow;  to  know,  to  perceive,  to  comprehend,  to  understand.  It  is  not 
merely  to  have  a  thing  pass  before  the  eye;  it  is  actual  knowledge.  Tha 
character  is  compounded  of  the  radicals,  an  arrow  in  its  flight,  and  an 
entrance.  ,  ,  .    , 

GOOD.  BAD.  Shen,  (shan);  Good,  fair,  excellent,  kind,  wise,  virtuous, 
skilled  in  any  art,  dextrous;  happy,  great,  much;  an  expression  of  ap- 
probation, good!  '     . 

Pu  Shan,  not  good;  hence,  bad,  in  the  sense  of  privation  of  good- 
ness. It  is  a  difference  in  degree,  as  all  these  contrasts  are  shown  to 
be  between  which  there  is  no  absolute  dividing  line,  so  that  the  sage 
does  not  spend  his  time  in  splitting  hairs  about  these  varying  degrees, 
but  simply  tries  to  improve  them  by  his  examp-e,  and  by  attending  to 
his  own  affairs  properly. 

=========^  [  147  J  ; '■ = 


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AFFAIRS.    Sze,  (shi);  Business,  affair,  occupation,  employment,  service. 

DOING.  Wei;  To  do,  to  make,  to  act,  to  cause,  to  induce;  to  help,  that 
by  which  anything  is  done. 

PROCEEDS.  Hing;  to  proceed,  to  go,  to  walk;  a  step;  a  manner  of 
action. 

DWELL.    Ch'  hoo,  (ch'  u);  to  dwell,  to  stay  in  a  place;  a  place. 

CONTINUE  CEASELESSLY.    Literally,     does    not,     (in    an    intensitive 
sense),  leave  or  depart  from  it;  that  is,  continues  indefinitely. 
CHAPTERJII. 

REWARDING.    Shang;  To  put  on,  to  add,  to  adorn,  to  honor,  to  esteem. 

TALENTED.    Heen,   (hien);  Talented,  good,  wise,  worthv. 

FIERCE  CONTENTION.  Tsang,  (chang);  To  strive,  to  contend.  This 
character  is  compounded  of  the  three  radicals,  claws  or  nails,  or  to 
scratch,  to  claw,  a  pig's  head,  and  a  barb  thrust  through  the  open  jaw». 
The  sense  is,  that  the  sage  uses  the  talented  or  worthy,  (see  last  por- 
tion of  Chapter  XXVIII),  but  shows  no  favoritism,  (see  last  part  of 
Chapter  LXXIX).  By  avoiding  the  singling  out  of  those  deemed  es- 
pecially worthy,  the  charge  of  favoritism  is  avoided,  and  contention  on 
the  part  of  those  who  feel  themselves  slighted  is  prevented. 

STOMACH.  BONES.  There  is  a  play  on  words  here.  Fuh,  (fu),  signi- 
nies  the  middle  of  the  body,  the  entire  belly;  also  thick,  rich.  "The 
earth  is  called  Fuh  because  it  embraces  all  things."  Fuh  also  has  the 
■ense  of  the  spiritual  soul,  which  the  Chinese  believed  to  be  mostly 
centred  in  that  part  of  the  body,  the  passions  belonging  principally  to 
the  heart. 

So  also,  Kuh,  (ku);  Bones,  implying  firmness.    The  peculiar  sense 
is  that  the  Sage  fills  the  spiritual  nature,  and  strengthens  the  powers 
of  resistance. 
CHAPTER  IV. 

UNREPLENISHED.    Puh  ying,  (pu  ying);  Not  full,  not  replenished. 

SIRE.    Tsung;  Honorable,  an  ancestor;  to  take  for  a  master. 

GOD.  Te,  (ti);  The  Supreme,  sovereign,  ruler,  emperor.  Shang  ti,  the 
Supreme  Ruler.  Tien  ti,  Ruler  of  Heaven.  The  word  only  occurs  in 
this  chapter,  and  is  the  only  proper  name  used  in  the  entire  T&o  Teh. 

DOGS  OF  GRASS.  These  were  figures  of  grass  made  to  resemble  dogs, 
and  were  employed  in  certain  sacrifices,  doubtless  a  survival  from  an 
earlier  age,  when  real  dogs  were  used.  As  representing,  temporarily, 
a  spiritual  element,  they  were  held  in  honor;  but  when  the  occasion 
had  passed  they  were  cast  aside  as  mere  grass   figures.    Heaven  and 


[148]- 


VOCABULARY 


Earth  regard  things  in  general  in  the  same  way,  they  are  only  good  for 
what  they  are  good  for. 

The  apparently  abrupt  change  in  the  second  part  really  continues 
the  subject.  Babblers  are  ever  in  danger  themselves,  and  are  of  no 
account  to  others.  They  fail  to  imitate  Heaven  and  Earth,  which  are 
like  a  bellows,  and  are  still  until  the  time  has  come  to  manifest  their 
power  and  purpose. 
CHAPTER  VI. 

SPIRIT  OF  THE  VALLEY.  This  is  the  ancient  title  of  the,  great  all- 
producer.  Says  Dr.  Legge,  "The  valley  is  used  metaphorically  as  a 
symbol  of  emptiness  or  vacancy;  and  the  Spirit  of  the  Valley  is  the 
something  invisible,  yet  almost  personal,  belonging  to  the  T£o,  which 
constitutes  the  Teh."  (See  also  Valley,  in  Chapter  XXXIX). 
EFFORTLESS.  K' hin,  (ch'in);  Laborious,  diligent,  sedulous;  with  priva- 
tive puh,  (pu),  not. 
CHAPTER  VIII. 

EDDY.  Yuen;  An  eddy,  a  whirlpool,  a  deep  hole,  a  gulf,  an  abyss,  deep, 
a  pool,  a  tank. 

It  is  water  which  flows  backward,  or  circulates  quietly  and  against 
its  natural  turbulence,  and  hence  is  compared  to  that  which  makes  a 
heart  good,  and  free  from  passion. 
CHAPTER  X.  . 

CAMP.  Ying;  A  camp;  a  place  where  troops  lodge.  This  is  the  definition 
in  the  Tarn  Tat  Hin  dictionary.  Medhurst's  definition  is,  to  dwell  in 
a  market  place,  to  measure,  to  make,  to  pass  around  and  round.  Ying 
tsae;  A  camp,  an  intrenchment.  It  was  originally  a  camp,  and  its  force 
as  a  verb  comes  from  the  regulating  necessary  to  make  and  keep  it  a 
camp.  , 

BIRD.  This  is  really  a  female  bird,  or  hen.  While  the  young  brood  chat- 
ters the  mother-bird  pays  no  heed  to  the  trifles  she  hears,  but  uses  her 
eyes  and  ears  and  mouth,  (the  heavenly  gates),  judiciously,  to  note  and 
rectify  what  really  requires  attention,  and  to  supply  the  wants  of  her 
flock.  The  sage,  entrusted  with  authority,  will  do  the  same.  (See 
Chapter  XLIX),  all  are  his  children. 
CHAPTER  XI  ' 

NOTHINGNESS.    Woo,    (wu);   Not,  without,  destitute  of,  the  state  be- 
tween emptiness  and  nothingness.    It  is    used    in    the    sense    of   non- 
existence. 
CHARTER  XIII. 

SACRIFICE.    Hwan;  To  be  grieved,  to  be  sorry,  miserable,  painful,  wretch- 
ed,  evil.    Ho  hwan;    calamity.    It  is  something  attaching  to  the  per- 

-====:[  149  ]-r-==        =-- 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


son,   and   contrasted  with   disgrace,  which  comes   from  others.    It  is 

correctly   rendered  as   sacrifice,   a  calamity   endured   by   the    inherent 

personality. 
BODY.    Shin,   (shan);   the  human  body,  one's  own  person,  one's  self.    I 

myself,  any  kind  of  body. 
SAFELY  USED.    ENTRUSTED.    Ke,  (chi) ;  To  entrust  to,  to  confide  in, 

to  commit  to  one's  charge,  to  deliver,  to  hand  over.    Used  in  the  sense 

of  sending  a  letter  by,  giving  one's  mind  to,  keeping  an  inn. 

T'  ho,  (if  oh);  to  confide,  to  entrust  to  one's  care,  to  give  in  charge, 

to  place  confidence  in.    The  radical  has  the  sense  of  confide.    Used  for 

entrusting  with  some  great   affair,  entrusting  with  money.    Absolute 

trust. 
LOVE.    Gae,  (ngai);  to  love,  to  love  tenderly,  to  be  kind  to,  to  pity,  to 

commiserate,  to  spare,  etc. 
CHAPTER  XIV. 

LOOKING.    She,  (shi) ;  To  see  clearly,  to  look  for,  to  contemplate,  to  look 

well  at,  to  compare.    It  has  also  a  supersensual  signification. 
SCRUTINIZE  AND  COMPARE.    K'  hee,  (ch'  ih);  To  cause  to  be  inquired 

into;  to  be  interrogated. 
BLENDED  INTO  UNITY.    Hwan,     (hwun);    Mixed    torrents,    confused 

streams,  muddy,  confused,  indistinct.    Wei;   to  make.    Yih;  A  unity 

or  oneness. 
BRIGHT.    OBSCURE.    Keaou,     (chiao);    The    whiteness    of    gems    and 

pearls;  clear,  bright  as  the  stars. 

Mei;  The  obscurity  of  twilight,  dark,  sombre,  dull. 
CEASELESS.    BOUNDLESS.    Shing,  shing,  (shang,  shang);  read  as  Min; 

Boundless,  revolving  without  intermission. 
CHAPTER  XV.  / 

TURBID   WATER.    Ch' huh,    (choh);    Muddy   water,   foul,    miry.    Choh 

tsing;  muddv  and  clear. 
CHAPTER  XVI. 

RETURN  AGAIN.    Fuh,  (fu);  To  return,  to  come  again. 
RETURNINGS  OF  COMMAND.    Fuh  ming,  (fu  ming).    Ming;  To  order, 

to  direct,  to  instruct;   a  command,  a  decree,  a  precept,  an  announce 

ment;  life,  fate,  lot,  destiny;  the  immoveable  laws  of  Providence. 
Fuh  ming;  To  give  in  an  account  of  what  is  done. 
CONFUSION.      WICKEDNESS.    Wang;  Confused,  disorderly,  irregularly, 

abandoned.    It  is  compounded  of  radicals  signifying  "daughter  of  death 

or  destruction." 

Heung,   (hiung);  Wicked,  malignant,  unlucky,  unfortunate. 

=  -[ISO]-  = 


VOCABULARY 


PERISH  AND  DECAY.    Muh;  To  sink,  to  die,  to  be  annihilated.    Thae, 
(tai) ;  Dangerous,  hazardous.    The  sense  is  that  there  will  be  no  danger, 
at  the  death  of  the  body,  of  annihilation,  but,  like  the  Tao,  it  will  be 
everlasting. 
CHAPTER  iXVII. 

FAITH.    Sin;  Faith,  truth;  to  believe,  to  trust;  sincere,  true. 
CHAPTER  XVIII. 

BENEVOLENCE,  ETC.    Jin,  (jan);  Benevolence. 
E,  (i);  Righteousness. 

Che,  (chi);  Knowledge  of  what  is  suitable  and  convenient,  wisdom. 
Hwuy,   (hwui);  The  mind  opened  out  and  unfolded.    Ling  hwuy; 
Quick  perception. 
HYPOCRISY.    Wei;    False,    hypocritical,    counterfeit.    The    character    is 
compounded  of  the  radicals  for  a  man,  ancf  acting  or  making,  or  made. 
The  word  thus  signifies  precisely  what  L£o  Tsze  attributed  to  it,  man- 
made,  and  man-acted. 
CHAPTER  XIX. 

DECORATING.    Wan;   Ornamentation,  literary  composition,  accomplish- 
ment. 

Wan  fa;  Style.  . 

Wan  is  a  radical  itself,  and  primarily  signifies  variegated  strokes: 
hence  an  assemblage  of  various  colors  in  order  to  form  embroidery.  The 
sense  is  that  it  is  useless  to  try  to  decorate  or  ornament  these  sham 
virtues;  the  only  correct  thing  to  dol  is  to  abandon  them. 
CHAPTER  XX. 

CEASE  LEARNING.    Tseue,  (tsueh) ;  To  cut  short  a  thread,  to  extermi- 
nate, to  cut  off  anything.  „         - 

Heo,  (hioh) ;  Learning,  instruction,  doctrines,  tenets,  imitation,  fol- 
lowing examples,  schooling.  . 

It  is  taken  for  all  manner  of  artificialities  and  perversions  which  go 
under  the  head  of  learning  things,  taken  in  low  sense. 
WASTEFULNESS  WITHOUT  RESTRAINT.    Hwang;   Overgrown  with 
^  weeds.    In  connection  with  other  words,  running  to  waste.    Also,  Bar- 
ren,  a   wilderness,   to  set  aside,   to   nullify;   profligate,  empty,  waste, 
hasty,  confusedly. 
CHAOS.    MAZE.    Yu;  Stupid,  dull,  rude,  ignorant,  confused. 
Sin;  Heart,  mind. 
T' him,  (tun);  Chaos,  without  clue,  not  opened  out. 

=1 151  ]=  = 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


DOING  THINGS.    E,  (i) ;  In  order  to,  with.    Yew  e,  (yiu  i) ;  To  hare 

which  is  necessary  in  order  to  be  that  which  precedes;   that  is,  "the 
wherewithal." 
CHAPTER  XXI. 

ESSENCES.    Tsing;    Select,   chosen,   ripe,  fine;    tsing  ling,  fine,  ethereal, 
subtle;  yang  tsing,  essence  of  male  principle  in  nature;  yin  t»ing,  es- 
sence of  female  principle.    That  is,  yang  essence,  and  yin  essence. 
CHAPTER  XXII. 

COME  HOME.  ALL  COMPLETE.  Kwei;  To  go  home,  to  return,  to  re- 
store anything,  to  send  back,  to  revert  to. 

Tseuen,  (ch'uen);  The  whole,  complete,  entire. 
CHAPTER  XXV. 

WHICH  WAS.     ALL  HOLDING.     ALL  COMPLETE.    Sang,    (shang); 
To  advance,  to  arise,  to  spring  up,  to  cause  to  grow,  to  bear,  to  bring 
forth,  to  generate,  to  come  forth,  to  nourish;  life;  to  live,  to  be  alive. 
Hwan,    (hwun);   Mixed  torrents,  confused  streams.     "Things  were 
confusedly  mixed,  before  heaven  and   earth   were  produced."    Ching; 
(ch'ang);   To  complete,  to  approach,   to  effect,   to  perfect;   the  com- 
pletion of  anything. 
TAKE  HIS  LAW.    Fa;  A  law,  a  constant  rule,  that  which  constrains  and 
limits;  a  regulation;  to  follow  a  rule. 
CHAPTER  XXVII. 

INNER  ENLIGHTENMENT.  This  is  precisely  like  the  "Inner  light"  of 
the  Christian  denomination  of  Friends,  or  Quakers. 

Shih;  A  double  garment,  clothes  with  lining;  an  appendage  to  a 
fur  dress;  united,  drawn  together.  Ming;  clear,  bright,  enlightened; 
to  see  to  a  distance.  The  adjective  refers  to  an  enlightenment  or  light, 
like  the  inner  lining  of  a  garment,  the  garment  representing  the  body 
or  person. 
MARK  OF  SPIRIT  LIFE  WITHIN.  This  is  a  manifestation  of  the  Inner 
light,  the  source  of  which  is  here  explained. 

Yaou,  (yao);  to  agree  to,  to  seek  for,  importunate  with;  to  want, 
to  wish,  to  desire;  important.    Yao  tao,  important  principles. 

Meaou,  (miao);  This  is  the  "miao"  of  Chapter  I.     (See  Analytical 
Index,   under  title,   Spirit).     It   is  the  underlying  spirit  which   spirit- 
ualizes all  men,  and  makes  them  of  one  fatherhood  and  one  brother- 
hood.   An  exception  becomes  a  confusing  thing  to  behold. 
CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

MASCULINE.  FEMININE.  Heung,  (hiung);  The  male  among  birdi; 
anything  masculine  or  courageous.  Tsze,  (ts'z);  The  female  among 
birds;  heung  tsze;  masculine  and  feminine. 

-  ====[  15?  1  ====================== 


VOCABULARY 


CHANNEL.    VALLEY.    K'  he,  (k'  i) ;  A  rivulet,  a  stream  that  flovri  int« 
a  larger  river,  a  running  stream. 

Kuh,  (ku);  A  valley  with  a  stream  running  through  it. 
It  will  be  seen  that  the  latter  may  have  many  streams  uniting  ia 
it,  while  the  former  is  a  water-course,  or  stream. 
WHITENESS.    BLACKNESS.    Pih,  (pai) ;  White,  clear,  to  explain. 

Hih,  (hei);  Black,  the  color  of  soot;  also  dusk,  the  color  of  twilight. 
GO  HOME.    GOLDEN  AGE.    Kwei;  To  go  home,  to  return. 

Euh,  (fu);  to  call  back  the  spirit  of  the  departed;  to  return,  to 
come  again. 
K' heih,  (chi);  Superlative;  the  extreme  limit,  the  first  origin  of  the  male 

and  female  principle  of  nature,  that  for  which  no  name  can  be  given. 
GLORY.     DEGRADATION.     SIMPLICITY.    Yung;  Glory. 

Juh,  (ju);  Disgrace.    In  connection  with  other  words,  to  be  defiled 
with  mud,  to  be  put  to  shame. 

P'  ho,  (p'  u) ;  Plain,  unadorned,  great. 
SCATTERED.    VESSELS.    San;  To  scatter  as  by  the  wind;  to  disperse; 
to  let  go,  to  spread  abroad. 

K' he,  (ch'i);  A  vessel,  an  implement;  ability,  capacity. 
RULERS  FOREVERMORE.    Kwan;  An  officer  of  government;  a  magis- 
trate. 
Ch'  hang,    (ch'ang);    Long,   to   excel;   superiors;   long-holding;    ch' ang  lo, 
eternal  joy.    Also,  the  first,  elders,  superiors,  high  in  station;  superior 
over  all  the  officers. 
CHAPTER  XXX. 

GOOD  REPAYMENT.    Sze,  (shi);  Business. 
Haou,  (hao);  Good,  opposite  of  bad. 
Hwan;  Return,  as  returning  a  visit. 
CHAPTER  XXXII. 

HARMONY.    Keun,   (chun);  Even,  level,  plain,  just,  equal,  flat;  to  ad- 
just, to  equalize;  a  musical  instrument. 
TAKES  CONTROL.    Che,  (chi);  To  regulate,  to  rule,  to  adjust,  to  form, 
to  cut. 
CHAPTER  XXXIII. 

DIES.    DOES  NOT  PERISH.    LIVES  LONGER.    Sze,  ('sz);  To  die;  the 
dispersion  of  life. 

Wang;  Lost,  destroyed,  dead,  exterminated;  with  Wuh,  (wu),  not. 
Show,  (sheu);  Longevity;  is  long-lived. 


[153] 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

TO  OWN.    Choo,    (chu);   A  lord,  a  master;   the  principal,  the  chief;  to 
rule,  to  govern  and  direct;  pu  wei  chu,  does  not  make  lordship  over. 
CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

Le  che,  (li  ch'i);  sharp  tools.    A  Chinese  phrase. 
CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

DOES  NOTHING.  NOTHING  LEFT  TO  DO.  Woo  wei,  woo  puh  wei; 
literally,  Nothing  does,  nothing  not  done. 

CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

VIRTUE.  VIRTUES.  THE  TEH.  Tih,  (teh);  Virtue,  goodness,  excel- 
knee,  favor,  benefit,  good  instruction;  grateful;  influence,  vigor,  energy, 
power;  to  ascend;  happiness. 

The  character  is  compounded  of  several  radicals;  step  by  step;  the 
heart,  mind,  will,  origin;  a  net;  and  the  radical  of  completeness  or  per- 
fection. 

Of  this  character,  Teh,  Dr.  Legge  says,  "The  'virtue'  is  the  activity 
or  operation  of  the  T&o,  which  is  supposed  to  have  come  out  of  its  ab- 
soluteness. Even  Han  Fei  so  defines  it  here,— 'Teh  is  the  meritorious 
work  of  the  T&o.'  " 

This  is)  the  original  Teh,  as  a  part  and  manifestation  of  the  T&o. 
By  union  with  the  T&o  all  this  follows  naturally;  but  when  separated 
from  the  T&o,  and  pursuing  those  artificial  imitations  which  come  from 
the  animal  soul  and  its  strivings,  degeneration  inevitably  follows,  and 
as  a  part  of  this  degeneration  we  find  the  names  of  the  Teh  applied  to 
their  mere  imitations.  The  result  is  confusion  and  further  degenera- 
tion, until  vanity,  in  the  name  of  Propriety,  is  even  ready  to  resort  to 
violence  to  maintain  its  claims  to  genuineness. 

Kwang  Tsze,  in  his  commentaries,  says,  "Virtue  is  liable  to  be  dis- 
sipated, and  wisdom  proceeds  to  display  itself.  Virtue  is  dissipated  in 
the  name  for!  it,  and  wisdom  seeks  to  display  itself  in  the  striving  with 
others.  In  the  pursuit  of  the  name  men  overthrow  one  another;  wis- 
dom becomes  a  weapon  of  contention." 
RIGHTEOUSNESS.  E,  (i);  Righteousness.  It  is  applied  also  to  anything 
from  without,  as  e  kee,  a  false  head  of  hair,  e  ming,  a  false  collar.  Lao 
Tsze  attributes  it,  as  practised  in  his  day,  to  something  obtained  from 
without,  an  imitation,  and  applied  as  a  covering,  instead  of  inherent 
in-  the  union  of  man  with  the(  T&o. 
PROPRIETY.  Le,  (li);  ceremonies,  rites.  L&o  Tsze  here  attacks  the 
ceremonial   observances  so  rigidly  insisted  on  by  Confucius,  which  he 

_  =,[154]:=-  = 


VOCABULARY 


regarded  as  perversions  of  the  true,  spontaneous  virtues  of  the  Tfto, 
which  constitute  the  Teh. 

SKELETON.  Po;  Plants  and  trees  scattered  in  a  wood;  a  little;  care- 
lessly; anyhow;  light,  vain;  to  feel  suspicious  of.  In  combination  with 
other  words,  to  treat  shabbily;  to  view  lightly;  a  bad  fortune;  barren 
ground.  It  has  the  sense  of  sham  or  show,  of  weak  imitation;  skeleton 
will  serve  to  indicate  the  sense,  as  one  would  look  through  the  scattered 
trees  and  plants  which  appear  in  the  guise  of  woods  or  foresta. 

SOLID  MAN.  Ta  chang  foo;  A  great  man,  in  a  technical  sense,  as  the 
phrase  is  given  in  Medhurst.  Ta,  great;  chang,  an  elderly  person;  foo, 
a  full-grown  person;  as  a  whole,  a  solid,  mature,  capable  man. 

CHAPTER  XXXIX. 

SPIRIT.  SPIRITS.  Shin,  (shan);  The  celestial  gods  who  draw  forth  or 
develop  all  things;  the  soul  of  the  male  principle  in  nature.  Tien  shan, 
gods  of  heaven;  jan  shan,  spirits  of  men.  The  character  has  two  radi- 
cals; she,  the  spirit  supposed  to  animate  the  earth,  and  teen,  to  spread 
out.  (See  Analytical  Index  under  title,  Spirit). 
SOUL.  SPIRIT  POWER.  Ling;  This  word  is  inadequately  translated  by 
soul,  or  spirit  power,  but  there  seems  to  be  no  better.  The  character, 
ling,  has  no  single  defining  word,  even  in  the  Chinese.  It  is  com- 
pounded of  the  radicals  of  pouring  out  like;  rain  from  above,  a  shelter, 
an  entrance,  and  the  bamboo  radical  for  harmonious  musical  pipes;  also 
the  interposed  radical  of  work.     (See  Analytical  Index,  Spirit). 

CHAPTER  XL. 

MOVEMENT.    RETURNING.    WEAKNESS.    T'  hung,  (tung) ;  To  move, 
to  act,  to  burst  forth,  to  shake,  to  agitate. 
Fan;  Back  again;  to  return. 
Jo,  (joh);  Weak,  feeble  both  in  body  and  mind. 

CHAPTER  XLL 

YIN.  YANG.  IMMATERIAL  BREATH.  Yin;  Dark,  shadowy,  deep, 
obscure,  impenetrable,  opaque,  indiscernible;  that  which  is  inferior. 

Yang;  That  which  aided  in  the  construction  of  the  heavens,  and 
illumines  all  things;  that  which  is  high  and  bright;  the  male  principle 
in  nature.    Yang  yin,  the  male  and  female  principles  of  nature. 

K'he,   (ch' i);   Spirit,  breath,  origin  of  life,  primary  matter,  dual 
principle  of  nature,  exhalation,  subtle  principle  of  life. 
Ch' hung,  (ch' ung);  Empty,  harmonious,  deep. 

=[  155  3  = 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


CHAPTER  XLIII. 

NON-EXISTENT.     NO  CREVICES.    Woo,  (wu);  Nothing. 
Yew,  (yiu);  Existent. 
Juh,  (ju);  Enter*. 

Woo,   (wu);  Without,  (with  the  nothingness  of). 
Keen,  (chien);  An  interstice,  an  interval. 
CHAPTER  XLIV. 

MALICIOUS  ELF,    Ping;  An  acute  disease,  a  severe  sickness,  sorrow,  dis- 
tress, misery.    Elves  and  sprites  are  common  material  in  Chinese  lit- 
erature; see  Kwang  Tsze  and  other  early  commentators. 
CHAPTER  XLVI. 

SIN.    Tsuy,  (tsui);  Sin,  fault,  transgression.    It  is  compounded  of  the  radi- 
cals; to  oppose,  to  turn  back  on,  not  right,  wrong;  and  a  net.    It  it  * 
felicitous  idea,  caught  in  a  net  by  wrong. 
CONTENT.    Tsuh,  (tsu);  Full,  sufficient,  satisfied. 
CHAPTER  XLVIII. 

ACTIVE  SCHEMING.    Sze,    (shi);   Business,   affair,   occupation,  employ- 
ment, service,  trouble;  ching  sze,  politics.    It  is  compounded  of  the  rad- 
icals, an  entrance;  a  pig's  head;  and  a  barb  thrust  through. 
CHAPTER  XLIX. 

UNCHANGEABLE  HEART.    Woo,  (wu);  Nothing,  not,  absence  of. 

Ch'  hang,   (chang) ;  Constant,  as  in  woo  ch'  hang,  the  five  constant 
virtues. 

Sin;  Heart,  mind,  affections,  will. 
GOOD.    FAITHFUL.    Literally,  Good  ones  I  myself  good  to  them;  not 
good  ones)  I  myself  also  good  to  them.    Virtue,  goodness. 

Faithful  ones  I  myself  faithful  to  them;   not  faithful  ones  I  my- 
self also  faithful  to  them.    Virtue,  faithfulness. 
CHAPTER  L. 

GOING   FORTH   LIFE.    COMING  HOME   DEATH.    Ch' huh,    (ch'a); 
To  go  out,  to  spring  forth,  to  beget,  to  put  out. 

Sang,  (shang) ;  Life,  to  live,  to  be  alive,  to  advance,  to  arise. 
Juh,  ( ju) ;  To  enter,  to  go  in.    Ch'  huh  juh,  abroad  and  at  home. 
Sze,    (sz);   The  melting  away  of  animal  life,  the  dispersion  of  th« 
vital  energies,  to  die  (a  natural  death). 

Says  Kwang  Tsze,  "Life  is  a  borrowed  thing.    The  living  frame  thou 
borrowed  is  but  so  much  dust.    Life  and  death  are  like  day  and  nigh*." 
FOLLOWERS.    T'  hoo,  (tu);  To  go  on  foot,  to  walk;  a  foot  soldier,  a  dk- 
ciple,  a  follower. 

The  followers  of  death,  or  of  life,  are  like  the  followers  of  any  other 
pursuit,  aal  law,  or  medicine,  or  science,  or  art. 

= =r[l56]==- 


VOCABULARY 


CHAPTER  LI. 

TAO.    TEH.    LIVING  THINGS.    Taou,  (t&o);  A  road,  a  way,  the  T&o. 
Shang;  gives  life. 

Tih,     (teh);     Virtue,     goodness,     excellence.    See     Teh,     Chapter 
XXXVIII.    Here  it  is  the  operation  of  the  T&o,  its  beneficent  energies 
of  development  and  sustenance. 
GROW    BY    FORCE    AND    CIRCUMSTANCE.    She,    (shi);     Strength, 
power,  influence,  figure,  appearance,  the  vital  energy. 

Ching,  (ch'ing);  To  complete,  to  effect;  the  completion  of  any- 
thing; termination;  perfect,  good,  excellent;  certain,  heavy,  important, 
full,  abundant.  Ching  jin  che  mei,  to  help  people  in  carrying  through 
their  good  purposes. 

Che,  (chi) ;  These,  them;  sign  of  genitive  case. 
SPONTANEOUS.  Tsze,  (tsz) ;  From.  Jen,  (jan) ;  To  assent  to,  to  reply, 
to  promise,  to  boil,  to  burn.  Tsze  jen,  a  Chinese  idiomatic  expression 
signifying  spontaneously,  without  constraint,  (MedhuTst). 
NEEDS  THEM  NOT.  TAKES  NO  CONTROL.  She,  (shi);  to  depend 
on  for  support  and  nourishment,  <to  rely  on.  Used  with  the  negative 
puh,  (pu). 

Tsae,  (tsai);  To  rule,  to  regulate.  Used  with  the  negative  puh, 
(pu). 

The  sense  is  that  ^he  T&o  produces  all,  but  does  not  require  them 
for  its  own  support,  endows  all,  but  does  not  personally  control  or 
regulate  them. 
MYSTIC  VIRTUE.  This  is  a  rather  weak  rendering,  but  is  literal.  The 
sense  is,  This  is  called  huen  teh,  huen  being  deep,  dark,  mysterious, 
heaven-conceived,  and  teh  the  operations,  in  universal  nature,  of  the 
T&o. 
CHAPTER  LII. 

THE  CHILD.    K'he,  (ch'i);  He,  she,  it;  his,  her,  its;  the,  that. 

Tsze,   (tsz);  A  son,  an  heir,  issue,  posterity.    As  Kung  Tsze,  the 
children  of  nobles. 
EMPLOY  THE  TAO'S  LIGHT.    Yung;  to  employ,  to  use,  to  put  to  use; 
to  cause;  common;  bv,  with.    Also  applv,  as  in  vung  sin,  apply  the  mind. 
K'he,  (ch'i);  Its  (the  T&o's). 
Kwang;  Light,  illustrious,  bright. 
RETURNING  HOME  TO  ITS  SOURCE.    KAvei;  To  go  home,  to  return  to. 
K'he;  (ch'i);  Its. 

Ming;  Enlightenment,  clearness,  splendor,  illumination,  what  is 
clearly  perceived. 


[157]- 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


CALAMITY.  LOSE  NOT  BODY.  Yang;  a  fault,  a  calamity,  punishment; 
pin  yang,  series  of  calamities. 

E,  (i);  Lost,  abandoned,  given  up,  forsaken.  Used  with  negative, 
woo;  in  no  wise. 

Shin,  (shan);  Person,  body,  self. 
TRAIN  WITH  THE  ETERNAL.    Seih,  (sih);  To  flap  the  wings  repeat- 
edly as  in  flying,  to  flutter,  to  accustom  oneself  to,  to  be  practised  in, 
to  render  familiar  by  constant  repetition. 

Ch'  hang,    (Chang);   The  Eternal,    as    in    Ch'  hang    sang,    (Chang 
skang);  Eternal  Life. 
CHAPTER  LIII. 

UNEXPECTED  MANNER.  The  characters  used  are  Keae,  (chie),  and 
Jen,  (jan).  The  'former  has  the  apparently  contrary  meanings  of,  to 
assist,  to  act,  to  attend  upon;  an  attendant;  great,  firm.  The  essen- 
tial element  is  that  of  one  who  assists  when  called  upon. 

The  latter  character  represents  a  fire  breaking  out;  to  assent  to 
anything.  Suh  jen,  suddenly.  The  opening  word  of  the  sentence  is 
she,  (shi),  to  order,  to  send,  or  to  be  sent,  or  directed  as  a  messenger. 
Literally  the  reading  is,  "I  being  sent  as  a  servant,  suddenly,  having 
knowledge  to  walk  according  to  the  Great  T&o,  only  bold  display  is 
what  I  fear." 

She,   (shi);   A  flag,  a  waving  banner;  to  swagger,    to    spread    out. 
This,  on  the  part  of  the  people,  is  what  he  fears. 
ROBBERS'  PRIDE.    T'  haou,  (tao);  A  thief;  to  steal. 

K' hwa,  (Kw'a);  To  boast,  to  talk  pompously,  to  exalt  one's  »elf; 
self-conceited-  Also,  gr^at 
CHAPTER  LVII.  &**jr'£ 

UPRIGHT.  £jgfifl2fcOt>-  Ching,  (chang);  Right,  square,  even,  regular; 
fully  prepared;  sufficient,  principal,  superior;  constant;  to  regwlat*, 
to  adju»t. 

A  straight,  square,  upright  man. 

K'  he,  (ch'  i) ;  Strange,  wonderful,  extraordinary,  odd,  rare,  mon- 
strous, mysterious,  unusual. 

A  man  of  mystery,  and  of  strange  devices.    The  terms  are  used 
in  contrast  to  each  other. 
PROHIBITIVE  LAWS.    Ke,  (chi) ;  To  hate,  to  dislike,  to  envy,  to  avoid, 
to  dread,  to  caution. 

Hwuy,  (hwui);  To  shun,  to  avoid,  to  conceal,  to  dread.  The  idio- 
matic Chinese  phrase,  (Medhurst),  Kehwuy;  prohibitions,  requiring  peo- 
ple to  avoid  certain  words  or  actions. 


[158] 


VOCABULARY 


MORE  LAWS.     MORE  THIEVES.    Fa;  A  law. 
Ling;  Order,  cause,  law,  rule. 
Tsze,  (tsz);  To  grow,  to  increase,  numerous. 
T'  haou,  ,(tao);  A  thief;  to  steal. 
Tsin;  A  robber,  a  thief,  a  highwayman. 
To;  More;  to  exceed. 
CHAPTER  LVIII. 

LIBERALITY.  PROSPERITY.  Mun,  (man);  Medhurst  gives  the  senae 
of  this  as  to  be  grieved;  it  is  compounded  of  the  radicals  mun,  a  gate- 
way; and  sin,  the  heart  or  mind,  and  has  the  sense  of  open-hearted, 
or  open-minded.    Chalmers  renders  it  "blindly  liberal." 

Shun,   (ch' un);   Substantial,  thick,  kind,  generous,  unadulterated. 
When  the  government  is  sympathetic  and  open,  the  people  are  sub- 
stantial. 
KEEN.    PRYING.    Ch'ha,    (ch'  a) ;   To  inspect  narrowly,  to  examine,  to 

inquire  into. 
LIMITLESS.    K' heih,  (chi);  The  utmost  verge,  the  utmost  to  which  any- 
thing can  be  carried;   the  extreme  limit.    Who  knows  the  limits   of 


misery 


UPRIGHTNESS.    STRANGE.    Ching,  (chang) ;  Right,  the  first,  principal, 
fair  and  square,  to  adjust.      j  \ 

K' he,  (ch'i);  Strange,  extraordinary,  monstrous. 
GOODNESS.    STRANGE.    Shin,  (shan);  Goodness. 
Yaou,   (yao);  Strange,  monstrous,  unnatural. 
SQUARE.    ANGULAR.    These  words    are    used    metaphorically.    Fang; 
Square,  correct,  constant. 

Leen,  (lien);  In  a  corner,  sparing,  moderate,  uncorrupted. 
STRICi.    NO  RESTRICTION.    Ch'  hih,  (chih);  Straightforward,  straight, 
blunt,  honest,  correct. 

Sze,   (sz);   With  the  negative  puh,   (pu),  not  to  strain  to  the  ut- 
most, not  to  pass  the  limit,  not  to  be  abrupt,  not  to  be  in  haste. 
DAZZLES    NOT.    ILLUMINATES.    Kwang;    Light,    bright,    illustrious, 
splendid.    Used  in  sense  of  daylight. 

Yaou,    (yao);    Shining,   glorious,   bright.    Used   with   the   negative 
puh,  (pu). 

Is  bright,  but  not  shining,  or  dazzling. 
CHAPTER  LIX. 

MODERATION.    Sih,  (seh);  Sparing,  frugal. 

EMPIRE  BE  RULED.    Literally,  "In  accord  with  the  T&o  approach  the 
management  of  the  Empire." 

---—  —  =[  1591  =  — 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


SPIRITS  OF  THOSE  WHO  ARE  GONE.    Kwei;  A  Chinese  radical,  sig- 
nifying a  ghost,  a  spirit,  a  demon;  that  to  which  man  reverts  at  death. 
The   spirit,    leaving   the   body,   constitutes   the   Kwei,    or   ghost.     (See 
Analytical  Index,  under  title,  Spirit). 
CHAPTER;  LXI. 

UNION.    WIFE.    Keaou,    (chiao);   Blending. 

Pin,    (p'in);   The  female,  as  mow  pin,  male  and  female.    It  indi- 
cates femininity. 
QUIETUDE.    CONQUER.    Tsing;   Rest,  silence,   the  opposite  of  motion. 
Ts'  heu.   (ts' u);  To  take,  to  take  over,  to  assume,  to  receive;  as, 
to  take  a  wife.    It  is  not  used  in  a  military  sense. 
CHAPTER  LXII. 

TAO—  THE  HIDDEN  REFUGE,  Chay,  (che);  This  word  follows  T&o, 
in  opening  this  chapter.  Its  usual  signification  is,  he,  who,  those  who, 
or  that  which.  For  such  use  it  is  commonly  put  at  the  end  of  a  clause 
or  sentence.  But  it  has  a  special  idiomatic  use  in  Chinese  when  it 
follows  immediately  after  the  important  object  to  be  described;  and 
emphasizes  or  calls  especial  attention  to  it.  It  is  then  used  as  a  rest 
or  emphatic  particle,  as,  for  example,  jin  chay  gae  yay,  benevolence, — 
consists  in  love.  (See  Medhurst.)  Here  the  sense  is,  The  T&o— it  is  the 
hidden,  etc. 

Gaou,  (ngao);  This  i*  primarily  the  southwestern  or  most  retired 
corner  of  the  house.  Hence,  deep,  retired,  one  of  the  five  sacrifices. 
It  is  applied  to  spiritual  objects,  as  Shin  gaou,  abstruse;  gaou  meaon, 
recondite.  It  is  a  deep,  retired  room,  a  hidden  refuge,  both  in  a  ma- 
terial and  a  spiritual  sense. 
IN  GUARDIANSHIP  IT  CLINGS.    Paou,  (pao);  Secures,  preserves.  That 

is  to  say,  "that  which  secures  and  preserves  the  not-good." 
BUY  HONOR.    LIFT  PEOPLE.    She,   (shi);   To  buy,  to  bid,  to  offer  a 
price,  to  encourage  by  a  good  offer. 

Kea,  (chia);  To  increase,  to  add  to,  to  confer  on;  as  Kea  Kwan, 
to  be  promoted  in  rank.  The  sense  is,  "its  noble  deeds  can  thereby 
add  to,  confer  on,  promote  security  of,  the  people." 
SIN-BOUND.  ESCAPED.  Tsuy,  (tsui);  A  bamboo  net  to  catch  fish,  a 
fault,  a  transgression.  Fan  tsuy,  to  sin;  tsuy  jin,  a  sinner.  Jin  is  a 
man.  Yew,  (yiu),  signifies  possessed,  so  that  the  sense  of  the  phrase 
is  "the  sin-possessed  man." 

Meen,  (mien);  To  avoid,  to  escape. 
E,  (i);  Thereby. 

=[  i6o]  ===== 


ANALYTICAL  INDEX 


CHAPTER  LXIII. 

RECOMPENSE  HATRED.  DEEDS  OF  GOODNESS.  Paou,  (pao);  Re- 
compense, reward;  to  reply  to,  to  answer,  to  make  a  return,  to  re- 
munerate, to  reward. 

Yuen;  Hatred,  enmity;  vexed,  angry,  inimical.    As,  paou  yuen,  to 
take  revenge. 

Tih,   (teh);   Benefits,  favors;   goodness,  virtue,  excellence,  good  in- 
struction; grateful.    The  sense  is  active  goodness. 
CHAPTER  LXIV. 

MADE  NO  SIGN.    Chaou,  (chao);  A  prognostic,  an  omen.    "That  which 

has  not  yet  made  a  sign,  or  prognostic." 
MAKES.    MARS.    Wei;  To  do,  to  act,  to  make.    Pae,  (pai);  To  destroy, 
to  break,  to  overturn,  to  ruin,  to  defeat.    "The  one  that  makes  breaks 
it." 
DESIRED  BY  OTHERS.    LEAVINGS.    Literally,  desires  the  not-desired, 
learns  the  not-learned,  turns  back  to  what  all  the  people  passed  over. 
Ko,  (Kwo);  To  pass  over. 
DARES  NOT  CONSTRAIN.    Kan;   To  dare.    Wei;    To  regulate,  to  at- 
tend to,  to  cause  to  act,  to  make,  to  venture. 
Puh,  (pu);  Not. 
CHAPTER  LXV. 

SAPIENCE  REDUNDANT.    Che,    (chi);   This  word  is  here  used  in  an 
unfavorable  sense.     (See  Medhurst.)     It  means  knowledge,  wisdom,  etc. 
To;  More,  numerous,  many,  excessive. 

To  sze,  (literally  too  much  business),  officious,  meddlesome.     Here, 
excessively  knowing. 
ROBBER  RULE.    Kwo  che  tsih,  robbery  of  the  country.    Tsih;  A  thief; 

to  rob  the  people. 
KEY  OF  GOVERNMENT.    Literally,  a  pattern  rule. 
SWIFTLY  BRING.    Che,  (chi);  The  swift  darting  of  a  bird  down  on  the 
ground;  to  come,  to  arrive  at,  to  proceed  from  hence  to  yonder  place. 
AGREEMENT  UNIVERSAL.    Ta;   Great,  large,  exceeding,  surpassing. 
Shun;   Agreeable,   reasonable,   to  follow,   to  obey.    Ho  shun,  har- 
monious, agreeable,  not  opposing. 
CHAPTER  LXVI. 

STRIVE.    STRIFE.    Tsang,  (chang);  To  strive,  to  contend;  to  strive  for 
the  mastery;  to  wrangle,  to  litigate,  to  debate. 


:[I6I]: 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


CHAPTER  LXVII. 

UNSEEMLY.  Puh  seaou,  (pu  eiao);  Not  resembling,  dwindling  into  de- 
cay, to  be  lost  and  scattered,  small;  bones  and  flesh  which  seem  like 
each  other;  degenerate. 

MEDIOCRITY.  Se,  (si) ;  Small,  petty.  "If  one  were  seemly,  his  pettiness 
would  long  continue." 

COMPASSIONATENESS.  ECONOMY.  Tsze,  (ts'  z) ;  Compassionateness, 
kindness,  goodness,  benevolence;  to  love  tenderly  as  parents  do  their 
children. 

Keen,  (chien);  Frugality,  economy;  sparing. 

AVOIDING  PRECEDENCE.  Puh  Kan  teen  hia  seen;  Not  daring  to  be 
made  first  in  the  world. 

SURE  DEFENCE.  Koo,  (ku) ;  Shut  up  on  all  sides,  firm,  stable,  durable, 
well-fortified.  Literally,  "By  it  they  will  preserve  firmness  (will  be 
well  fortified).  Heaven,  when  about  to  defend  them,  with  compassion  - 
ateness  will  protect  them."  Said  Luther,  "A  mighty  fortress  is  our 
God." 
CHAPTER  L.XVIII. 

TREADS  THE  WORKMEN'S  PATH.  Literally,  "The  good  employer  of 
the  people  makes  himself,  (or  becomes),  lowly,  (or  below,  that  is,  with 
them).  This  is  called  the  power  of  employing,  or  making  use  of  men." 
Leih,   (li);  Strength,  force,  power,  effort,  vigor,  endeavor. 

FELLOWSHIP  WITH  HEAVEN.  P'hei,  (p'  ei) ;  A  mate,  a  fellow  with, 
a  companion,  an  equal,  an  associate.    T'heen,  (f  ien) ;  Heaven. 

PERFECT.  K'heih,  (chi);  The  utmost  verge;  to  reach  the  extremity; 
superlatively;  the  extreme  limit,  the  first  origin  of  the  male  and  fe- 
male principles  of  nature;  that  for  which  no  name  can  be  given.  This 
is  the  perfect  fellowship  which  the  ancients  had  with  Heaven,  and  their 
power  of  using  men  to  the  highest  degree,  but  imperceptibly;  (see  Chap- 
ter VII.) 
CHAPTER  LXIX. 

HOST.    GUEST.    Khih;  A  guest,  a  lodger,  a  stranger. 
Choo  Khih,  Host  and  guest. 

MISFORTUNE.  Ho,  (hwo);  Misfortune,  calamity,  misery,  unhappiaess 
sent  down  from  the  gods,  to  destroy,  to  injure. 

MAKE  LIGHT  OF.  K' hing,  (ch'ing);  Light,  a  light  carriage;  K' hing 
che,  to  treat  lightly,  to  disesteem.    Also,  quick,  hasty. 

EMBATTLED  HOSTS.  K'  hang,  (K'  ang) ;  To  oppose,  to  obstruct,  to  in- 
troduce. 

Ping;  Troops,  an  army,  a  soldier,  a  weapon  of  war. 

=[  162  3  = 


VOCABULARY 


CHAPTER  LXXI. 

KNOWLEDGE.  SICKNESS.  Che,  (shi);  A  word  conveying  an  idea,  as 
swift  as  an  arrow;  to  know,  to  perceive,  to  comprehend,  to  understand. 

This  is  not  learning,  but  knowledge.  It  is  the  intuitive  mental 
power  of  intellectual  grasp  and  receptivity.  The  character  is  com- 
pounded of  two  radicals,  an  arrow  in  flight,  and  an  entrance,  like  the 
mouth. 

Curiously  enough,  this  character  is  also  applied  to  physical,  as  well 
as  mental,  health,  in  the  sense  of  healed,  or  well.  This  analogy  is  used 
by  LAo  Tsze,  in  showing  that  those  without  knowledge  are  actually 
sick.  Hence  he  applies  to  them  the  term  ping,  an  acute  disease,  a  se- 
vere sickness,  sorrow,  distress,  misery,  and  points  out  the  remedy, 
which  is  to  become  sick  of  the  sickness  of  ignorance. 

There  is  probably  no  other  language  which  gives  to  knowledge  the 
sense  of  healed,  or  well;  and  it  is  a  high  tribute  to  the  Chinese  char- 
acter that  such  an  analogy  should  have  been  made  in  this  way,  for, 
while  apparently  far-fetched,  it  is  really  absolutely  true,  though  only 
apparent  to  those  to  whom  real  knowledge  is  a  thing  of  high  import- 
ance to  the  well-being,  the  mental  health,  of  the  people. 

CHAPTER  LXXIII. 

PERFECT  PLANS..  SLOWNESS.  Shen,  (shan);  Good,  fair,  excellent, 
kind,  wise,  virtuous,  skilled  in  any  art,  dextrous,  happy,  great,  much; 
an  expression  of  approbation,  Good!  Yuh  shen  ke  sze,  Wishing  to  per- 
fect our  work. 

Mow,  (meu);  To  plan,  tq  deliberate,  to  consider,  to  set  the  mind 
upon;  to  consult;  a  plan. 

Ch'hen,  (ch' en);  Primarily  a  loose  girdle;  anything  loose.  Read 
as  tan,  slow.  The  sense  is  that  the  devices  do  not  go  on  by  a  direct 
impulse,  but  develop  slowly  and  deliberately,  but  are  excellent,  or  per- 
fect, when  they  come  to  the  surface;  so  much  so  that  none  can  escape 
their  all  powerful  and  beneficent  movements. 
NET  OF  HEAVEN.  MESHES  WIDE.  Wang;  A  net;  t' heen,  (t'ien); 
Heaven. 

Soo,  (shu);  Holes  through  anything;  distant,  wide  apart. 
CHAPTER  LXXV.  " 

TAXES   EATEN.    Shwuy,    (shui);    Taxes  received;   imposts.    To;    ^uch, 
excessively.    Shih,  (chih);  To  eat,  to  consume,  to  devour. 
CHAPTER  LXXVI. 

TREE  IN  ITS  STRENGTH.    Muh,  (mu) ;  A  tree. 

K' heang,  (ch' iang);  Powerful,  firm,  able-bodied,  strong;  strengtb 


[163] 


THE  LIGHT  OF  CHINA 


Tsih,    (tseh);  A  rule,  a  pattern,  to  imitate,  to  conform  to;   then, 
after  that,  next. 

Kung;  The  same,  with,  all,  alike,  together. 

This  latter  word  refers  to  what  was  just  stated  regarding  the  man 
who  relies  on  his  strength;  he  will  fail  to  sustain  himself;  the  author 
now  says  of  a  tree  which  is  firm  and  strong,  that  it  will  be  in  the  same 
condition,  that  is,  overcome  by  the  weak  and  tender;  it  will  be  cut 
down,  which  is  the  fate  of  good  timber,  by  the  very  fact  that  it  is  good 
timber,  and  makes  display  of  the  fact. 
CHAPTER  LXXVII. 

BLESS  BY  SERVING.    Literally,  "Who  can,  possessing  great  store,  there- 
by give,  as  received  from  a  superior,  to  the  world,  (the  people)?" 

Fung;  Received  from  a  superior,  with  both  hands;  to  give,  to  pre- 
sent up.    Fung  heen,  To  offer  up;  she  fung,  To  wait  upon;  fung  see,  To 
serve. 
CHAPTER  LXXVIII. 

SINS  OF  HIS  COUNTRY.    Kow,  (keu);  Scurf,  dandruff,  dirt,  filth.    Hera 

it  is  the  moral  filth.    Kwo  ke  kow;  Sins  of  his  country. 
MASTER  OF  SACRIFICE.     ALTAR'S  LORD.    Shay,  (she);  The  spirit 
presiding  over  any  given  spot;  the  lares.    Ta  shay;  The  national  lares. 
Shay  jih;  Times  of  spring  and  autumn  sacrifices. 
Shay  tseih;  The  gods  of  the  land  and  grain. 
Choo,  (chu);  Lord,  master. 
WOES.    CURSE.    Puh  Tseang,  (pu  siang);  Not  happy,  not  good;  without 
happiness,   without  goodness,   without   felicity.    It  is  the  malevolence 
of  the  divine  powers  bringing  woes  upon  the  land,  with  the  absence  of 
every  blessing  and  happiness;  a  curse  resting  over  the  land. 

Show,  (sheu) ;  To  keep,  to  hold  fast,  to  guard,  to  preserve,  to  main- 
tain; that  which  is  guarded,  a  charge. 

Who  holds  fast  to,  keeps,  supports,  is  charged  with  his  country's, 
(Kwo  che),  unhappiness,  and  the  malevolence  of  Heaven  upon  it,  shall 
be  called — 
THE  KING  OF  THE  WORLD.    Th'  heen  hea  wang;  Of  all  under  heaven 

the  king. 
TRUE.    PARADOX.    Ching,  (chang),  yen;   Right  words;  words  that  hit 
the  center  of  the  target.    Joh;  To  seem  like.    Fan;  To  return,  on  the 
contrary,   contrary  to.    Chalmers   renders  the  sentence,   "This  is  the 
language  of  strict  truth,  though  it  seems  paradoxical." 
CHAPTER  LXXXI. 

ACT.    STRIVE.    These  characters  are  both  from  the  same  radical,  chaou, 
the  hands  spread  out,  in  the  sense  of  putting  the  hands  to  anything. 

-[  164  1  ■— 


VOCABULARY 


Wei;  This  is  compounded  of  the  radicals  of  the  hands  spread  out,  and 
of  a  horse;  To  make,  to  do,  to  act. 

T-sang,  (chang);  This  is  compounded  of  the  radicals  of  the  hands 
spread  out,  to  act,  with  nails  and  claws  to  scratch,  of  a  pig's  head  with 
open  jaws,  and  of  a  barb,  or  hooked  spear,  thrust  through  them  from 
above  downward;  To  strive,  to  contend;  to  reprove,  to  litigate,  to  de- 
bate, to  wrangle. 

The  sage  does  the  former,  but  refrains  from  doing  the  latter. 


:[I«5]  = 


Date  Due 

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The  light  of  China;  The  Tao  teh  king  of 


Princeton  Theological  Seminary-Speer  Library 


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